


Curious

by AlyssAlenko



Series: Mass Effect Trilogy--Curious, Tiny Little Fractures, Back Where we Belong [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: All Dialogue, Biotics, Blackmail, Blushing, Budding Love, Checking out, Comrades in Arms, Dirty Thoughts, Elevators, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, Eye Candy, Eye-sex, F/M, Falling In Love, Fighting, Flirting, Fluff, Fraternization, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Full Story, Full game, Idiots in Love, Innuendo, Love, Mutual Desire, Paragon Commander Shepard, Pining, Protectiveness, Revenge, Romance, Rules, Secrets, Sexual Tension, Shenko - Freeform, Shooting, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Soldiers, Soulmates, Spacer (Mass Effect), Teasing, Tension, Trust, Vanguard (Mass Effect), War Hero (Mass Effect), Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Watching, all sidequests, bending the rules, build-up, chain of command, evangelicals, gunfights, guns violence, inappropriate thoughts, mutual feelings, regulations, religious talk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-09
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2018-05-25 16:09:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 29
Words: 66,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6202000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlyssAlenko/pseuds/AlyssAlenko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alyss Shepard has just been transferred to the Normandy, for it's shakedown run, but everything goes horribly wrong when one Spectre kills another, and she breaks what she was meant to retrieve. Now the fate of the Galaxy rests squarely on her shoulders. Paragon/Spacer/War Hero/Vanguard. Building up the Shenko relationship, friendships, and everything in between with the crew of the Normandy on their three year journey of War with the Reapers and trying to unite the entire galaxy together to stand against the unstoppable force.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. After the Fact

He stood on the balcony of his parents’ house staring out across the landscape—it wasn’t the same as it had been all those years ago before being shipped off to Biotic Acclimation and Temperance Training out on Jump Zero; Kaidan had killed someone. He was eighteen years old, a month out of BAaT, and completely changed. It had been an accident, but he still couldn’t bring himself to explain to his parents why he spent so much time just staring outwards off the balcony; his mother, Josephine stood watching him from the doorway, a frown creasing her brow—her son had never been this quiet it all the years she’d known him. ‘Brain Camp’, as he called it, had broken her son.

She wiped her hands on her apron, and retreated inside.

“Michael?” She called softly. “Kaidan’s out on the balcony again.”

Sighing, Michael nodded to his wife and opened the refrigerator pulling out two bottles of his favorite lager. “I’ll talk to him.”

Something cold touched Kaidan’s arm, and he looked to his right, to see his father offering him a bottle of beer as he leaned against the railing next to him, he scrunched up his nose and picked the bottle up off of the railing. For a moment, the two of them didn’t say anything—the only sound was the occasional swallow as they drank in silence; Michael knew Kaidan would talk to him when he was ready, and when he was, he’d lend an ear. Kaidan eyed the bottle suspiciously.

“I killed someone, Dad—I didn’t mean to…it just kind of happened. My instructor broke someone’s arm. A girl I liked and I lost it, I let loose a full biotic kick and snapped his neck.” He admitted.

“Kaidan, you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself for doing what you thought was right…even right choices have consequences…what’s the phrase? No good deed goes unpunished.” Michael consoled, placing his hand gently on his son’s arm.

Kaidan wasn’t entirely comforted by that, but he did feel slightly better that his dad accepted him even after the fact…there may not be a next time for him after screwing up at brain camp with Conatix being investigated after Vyrnnus’ death, but just the fact that his father had so much faith in him finding a purpose, a bigger and better purpose, made Kaidan smile. He watched as a ship landed over in the distance beyond the English Bay with renewed hope he would start again.

“We’ll always be there for you, sweetie.” Josephine stepped forward and embraced her baby boy. “Whatever you choose and wherever you go—your father and I will always be cheering you on.”

“Thanks, Mom—I’ll try to make you proud.”

Kaidan had left the next morning with no clear plan in mind, he just wanted to do some good in the world; to leave his mark; to atone. He didn’t know where he was going to go, but the universe was a big place, so he hopped a shuttle and let it take him off planet to an unknown, backwater place full of eezo so he could study it and get in control of himself where no one knew his name or his past or anything about him other than the fact that wherever he went got a little bit brighter before he left.

Hopefully he could save some other unfortunate children from the making the mistakes he’d made…


	2. At the Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is how it all starts: Udina, Hackett and Anderson debating who is going to be the next human spectre. I'm finally getting around to posting it on this site, but copying down he dialogue is painstakingly tedious, so forgive me if it takes forever. Alyss Shepard is a paragon/warhero/vanguard/spacer, and could literally have the world at her feet if she wished it.

“Well what about Shepard? She’s a spacer. Lived aboard starships most of her life.” Ambassador Donnel Udina said, flicking through the files.

Finding a candidate for the first human Spectre was tough, they needed someone inexplicably good…someone who was a good leader, a good fighter, didn’t take the easy way out. Whoever they chose had the whole of Humanity’s reputation sitting squarely on their shoulders. Who better than someone awarded the Star of Terra for her heroic actions? Anderson was proud that they were even considering his protégé for this prestigious award--he couldn't think of anyone that was more deserving than her...of course, he was a little bit biased, seeing as he'd known her since she was 18 years old--eleven years.

“Military service runs in the family. Both her parents were in the Navy.” Captain David Anderson added.

Admiral Stephen Hackett nodded in agreement. “She proved herself during the Blitz; held off enemy forces on the ground until reinforcements arrived.”

“She’s the only reason Elysium is still standing.” Anderson continued.

Udina stroked his chin thoughtfully. “We can’t question her courage.”

“Humanity needs a hero. And Shepard’s the best we’ve got.” Anderson told the other two.

They were all in agreement then. Alyss Shepard was to be the first Human Spectre candidate, as well as Captain Anderson’s new XO aboard one of the most advanced warships in military history. It was a big honor. And they hoped that she'd be 100% up to the task that lay ahead of her and the responsibility that came with it.

Udina nodded. “I’ll make the call.”


	3. The Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Alyss received the call from Udina about becoming XO of the Normandy, she was spending a lovely shoreleave with her mother, at a spa. But as it turns out the Human ambassador had other plans, and actually paid her a visit, cutting her leave short...not that she minded--being XO of the Normandy was going to do wonders for her military career.

It was the first time in months, Alyss Shepard and her mother Hannah Shepard had had their shore leave at the same time, and she planned to enjoy it. The two were similar, and though they were two strong, independent and beautiful women, they seemed to intimidate those around them. Hannah had booked a spa weekend for the two of them, and Alyss planned to fill it to the brim with relaxation.

She lay in a beach chair soaking up the sun next to the pool side, her thick, shoulder-length black hair draped over her shoulders framing her face. Clad in a sky blue midriff, and matching pleated miniskirt, she sipped her strawberry sunrise cocktail slowly. She would never admit it to anyone, but she really did love wearing girly outfits—her armor was like a second skin, but sometimes she wanted to feel like a person.

“Alyss, sweetie, come help your mother with these bags.” Hannah called.

“Mom, there’s people for that. Isn’t this a vacation?” Alyss replied, opening her lavender eyes and shading them with her hand from the bright glow from the sun.

Hannah Shepard scowled at her daughter’s choice of words.

Normally Alyss would jump up immediately and help her mother with whatever she wanted, but at one look at the muscular towel boy behind Hannah, Alyss knew exactly what her mother really wanted. She was twenty-nine, and her mother had started trying to set her up with every Tom, Dick and Harry she thought her daughter would like, desperate for grandkids; she wanted to be a mother...someday, but at the moment, Alyss was happy to just focus on herself for the time being.

“Alyss Shepard!” Hannah scolded.

Alyss groaned, and swung her legs over the side of her chair. She picked her sunglasses up off the table putting them on as she fixed the back of her hair with her hand. Why had she brought so much stuff down? All Alyss had wanted was a day by the pool! Now everyone was staring at her…she’d be hard pressed to find anyone who didn’t know her name by now, being the Hero of the Blitz did that to a person...or maybe just her.

“Mom, do you have to say my name so loud? I thought I was just Alyss this weekend. You promised!”

“I’m sorry, honey. Have you met Estefan?” Hannah asked, motioning to the towel boy behind her.

Alyss took half of her mother’s stuff, and nodded politely at Estefan. He was cute, but she wasn’t looking for a relationship. Her whole life was the Alliance Military—it gave her free reign to use her biotics, her special forces training and her N7 status. And if she was going to settle down, it had to be with someone who understood that. She loved her mother…she really did, but sometimes…

“I have now; it was nice to meet you Estefan.”

“The pleasure’s all mine, señorita.” He cooed his voice thick with a Spanish accent.

If he’d played the Spanish guitar, she would’ve swooned…Alyss had a weakness for men who could play a Spanish guitar. Something about its sound just made her immensely happy. She guided her mom over to the spot she’d claimed by the pool, and sat back in her chair.

“Mom…” Alyss trailed off. “This has got to stop. I love you…you know I do, but seriously. Settling down should be my choice…not yours; no matter when, no matter how, and no matter with whom. I’m a soldier and a biotic. That’s my life.”

Hannah shook her head, and placed her hand over her only daughter’s. “It won’t always be your life, sweetheart. I want you to have something to look forward to when it can’t be your life anymore; but more than that I just want you to be happy—as happy as your father makes me.”

Alyss smiled. “I’ll try harder to have a personal life okay?”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Estefan played the Spanish guitar, you know.” Hannah chuckled, as she settled into her chair with a book.

Alyss clutched her heart. “Mom, no…why would you tell me that? Now I have to take him back to my room and—”

Someone was hovering by the door into the foyer of the spa. Alyss recognized the man instantly—she’d seen more than enough of her share of vids with the Human ambassador on the Citadel to know Donnel Udina. Her mentor Captain Anderson had mentioned him once or twice as well. Was he here for her or someone else? Had she done something wrong or something good? He'd taken time off from his busy schedule to come see her in person, and it made her wary--something big was going on, and it looked like she was about to be thrown right into the middle...the eye of the storm as it were.

She stood up slowly, and he gave her a curt nod.

“I’ll be right back, mom.” Alyss muttered.

Hannah waved her hand absently, already too engrossed in her book. It was the last day of their shore leave anyways, but was Alyss going to have to cut it short? She made her way across the pool deck, noticing only as she passed a window, her attire. She bit her lip…there was nothing she could do about it now, but she removed her white sunglasses, and hooked them into the front of her shirt, before reaching up to fix the back of her shoulder-length black hair once more.

“Ambassador Udina.” Shepard said, reaching out to shake his hand as she got to him.

“Shepard.” He looked like he was in a hurry.

“What can I do for you?” She hoped he’d make it quick…this was her weekend he was interrupting.

“You’ve been transferred, Shepard. You’re the XO of the Normandy, the most advanced warship in the fleet Alliance fleet. You’re to report there, immediately. Say your goodbyes. Oh, and don’t screw this up.” Udina nodded briskly, and turned heel, leaving Alyss standing there stunned.

“What a jerk.” Alyss muttered, turning back around and making her way back to her mother. “I have to go pack.”

Hannah sat up. “What? It’s the last day of our weekend together!”

Alyss ran her fingers through her hair. She knew that, but what was she to do? Call up the Captain of the Normandy and tell him she was too busy hanging out with her mother to be second in command of the most cutting edge ship in space? Every soldier knew about the Normandy…to be asked to serve on her, was an honor.

“I know, but I’ve been transferred…to the Normandy, Mom. Do you know what this could do for my career?”  
Hannah pulled her daughter down to her level. She wasn’t upset—she was damned proud.

“Alyss you promised to have a life; now you’re just going to find some other reason to work all the time. I know this is a big honor, sweetie, but it’s also a responsibility. Are you sure you can handle this? I don’t want you to turn down the biggest opportunity of your life, however.”

“I don’t think I have a choice anyways.” Alyss mused. “I promise I’ll call you the minute I settle in…and who knows, maybe I’ll find a nice boy to love.”

“Alyss, he’d be your subordinate and that would be classified as fraternization.” Hannah reminded her.

Alyss shrugged.

“Rules can’t stand in the way of true love.” She teased.

Hannah playfully smacked the back of her daughter’s leg with her book. “Go pack and get dressed in something more military appropriate. We’ll finish this another time.”

“I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, Alyss.”


	4. Reporting for Duty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyss left the spa after packing her belongings before making her way to the Normandy to report for her first day of duty. In the second Mass Effect when you drink with Chakwas she mentions a sparring match between Richard Jenkins and Kaidan Alenko, so I thought that was a good starting place for Shepard's first day on the Normandy. (It's not mentioned until later, but I made her shuttle pilot Steve Cortez. :P) Shenko Foreshadowing part 1.

Kaidan Alenko and Richard Jenkins were sparring together in the CIC on one side of the galaxy map, while the rest of the crew watched from the other side, Jenkins eager as always. Kaidan kept his biotics under tight control, never wanting to hurt anyone again. Dr. Chakwas watched on the edge of her seat, as Kaidan let out a biotic display knocking Jenkins right off his feet—it seemed like he’d lost control and his display had broken Jenkins’ back, but Richard popped up almost immediately.

“That was awesome!” He yelled.

The assembled crew let out a howl of laughter. Captain Anderson walked past, having just finished his meeting via vid comm with Admiral Stephen Hackett and Ambassador Donnel Udina, both of them informing him that Shepard was en route. It had been a while since he’d seen his protégé, and wanted to make everything perfect.  
Kaidan wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. The Captain had been on edge for the past couple days, but wouldn’t let anyone in on what was happening. That was when an angry looking Turian strode onto the ship, following the path the captain had just taken.

They weren’t too far away, and everyone strained to hear what they were saying.

“Captain, I’m Nihlus with Special Tactics and Reconnaissance.” He muttered.

“I’m pleased to meet you. I apologize for the rude welcome, but I’m currently waiting for my XO to arrive, she’ll be here soon, I promise you. And then we can begin.”

“A Spectre!” Jenkins hissed.

Kaidan nodded. “That’s what it sounds like. Our XO…any intel on her?”

Jenkins grinned. “I heard it was none other than the Hero of the Blitz, Alyss Shepard herself.”

Jenkins was ever the exaggerator, but he did keep his ears to the ground. Kaidan would definitely confirm his theory with Joker when he got the chance, but what was a Spectre doing on the Normandy, when it was preparing for its first shakedown run?

“This is Goliath MK-8 on approach vector 5delta. ETA 3 minutes; requesting permission to dock.” The shuttle pilot said into his microphone.

Alyss sat there silently, just taking deep breaths to steady herself; she reached up to touch her ponytail and stopped herself. She always played with her hair when she was nervous or thinking about something intently. She never let it get past her shoulders since she was constantly finding herself in combat, but she kept it pulled back in a ponytail to at least appear professional, when on duty.

It was her first day on the job, and no one needed to know about her nervous tick. She checked herself in one of the metal panels wishing she had gotten rid of the makeup. Dark grey eye shadow? Red Lipstick? How was she supposed to come across professional? Alyss took a deep breath. They’d wanted her hadn’t they? This was how she always dressed, and if they didn’t like it tough. She hoped that an attitude like that wouldn’t get her in trouble one of these days. All she needed was to be fired. What she really needed right now was a friendly face.

“Permission granted, Goliath.” A voice crackled over the comm.

“First day?” The pilot asked Alyss.

She nodded. “How did you know?”

He chuckled. “I swear you’ve checked your pistol eight times already.”

Alyss blushed. “It’s better than messing with my hair.”

The sound of a ship’s clamps could be heard on the side of the shuttle. Alyss closed her eyes briefly and when she opened them, her nervousness had faded. She was the Alyss Shepard everyone knew from Elysium; strong, brilliant, independent, and confident. This was just like every other mission and reassignment—nothing to pull her hair out over. If they didn’t like her, tough—she’d just have to get over making friends here if that was the case.

“Good luck, and try not to worry too much.” The pilot reassured her.

“I won’t.” Alyss told him.

She meant it. Her nervousness had evaporated and she was actually looking forward to being second in command; Anderson would be proud of her. If only he could see her become Commander Shepard, XO of the Normandy. She squared her shoulders, straightened her armor, holstered her gun, and walked through the Normandy’s airlock.

A huge smile spread across her face.

“Welcome aboard the Normandy, Commander Shepard.” Anderson told her.

“Anderson.” She reached out and the two shook hands enthusiastically. “I should’ve known you were the captain of the Normandy. I can’t tell you how good it is to see you.”

It was odd for anyone aboard the Normandy to see Captain Anderson so happy and relaxed. This woman must’ve been something very special indeed. He motioned her into the ship, the crew getting a good look at her for the first time. Kaidan held his breath; he didn’t think he’d ever seen anything more beautiful in his entire life.

“How are the biotics?” Anderson asked.

“As powerful as ever.” Alyss laughed, letting her powers come out to play, dancing around her and the luggage in her hands in a bluish purple light as Jenkins nudged Kaidan in the ribs. “Now where can I park it? I don’t want to carry these around the whole tour…I am getting a tour right?”

Anderson chuckled. “Of course—I won’t be able to give it to you, I have a pressing matter to attend to, but Lieutenant Alenko here will be showing you around.”  
Kaidan stepped forward, instantly drawn to her. “Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, ma’am.”

He was absolutely adorable.

“Alyss Shepard. I’ll try not to cause _too_ much trouble.” She winked.

Kaidan liked her instantly, she said exactly what was on her mind, and didn’t shy away from anything—it would also be nice having another biotic around. He motioned for her to walk with him, hoping they could walk and talk at the same time. Besides, he needed a distraction from the way her N7 armor was snug in all the right places…

“Last stop, the cockpit, with Joker our snarky and sarcastic pilot. Ignore most of what he says like the rest of us, and you’ll be just fine.”

Joker ran his hand through his beard, before he threw his hat at Kaidan, hoping the bill hit him in the face as he retreated, leaving their new CO alone with their pilot…he knew Kaidan didn’t mean it, but now Shepard had reason to be wary; for a moment neither of them said anything, as she retrieved his hat and handed it back to him, falling into the co-pilot’s seat. The silence was uncomfortable to say the least. He kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye—Anderson knew he was a pain in the ass, but he also knew he was the best damn pilot in the Alliance Fleet, so he let it slide…but Joker didn’t quite know what to make of the woman sitting next to him. He tapped a few keys, returning his attention to the console in front of him. A moan drifted out of the speakers and he coughed in embarrassment, having meant to send that to his earpiece; Shepard snorted with laughter, breaking through the tension in the air.

“And here I thought you were watching Star Wars, not Spank Wars.” She teased.

It was hard to suppress the grin.

“That would be a great name for a porno.” Joker chuckled.

“Wouldn’t it, though? I’m Alyss by the way, Alyss Shepard.”

“I’m Jeff Moreau, but everyone calls me Joker. You’re a Spectre candidate, right? Looks like you fell down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, Alyss…though I can’t say I envy you; all those people watching over your shoulder, breathing down your neck and just waiting for you to screw up? No thanks.”

“Tell me about it…”


	5. Headaches and Biotics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being an L3, Shepard doesn't have to worry about migraines like Kaidan, but she feels horrible that he has to deal with something like that. It's the evening after she arrived on the Normandy, and she's playing around in engineering with the Eezo core, because its effect on biotics. Kaidan is sleeping in the medbay with a migraine, before confronting his CO in the mess. Shenko Foreshadowing part 2--all fluffy.

Alyss was up late in engineering—she’d snuck down when she was sure no one was up, wearing a miniskirt and an off the shoulder t-shirt—testing the effects of the EEZO core against her biotics. It was fascinating—but her stomach rumbled in disapproval at the amount of work she’d put in without eating. Her hair had come out of its ponytail in protest about thirty minutes before. She decided she could risk going into the mess; everyone should be asleep and there’d be no one to see her disheveled like this.

While she wanted real food, she was back on a military ship—darn that spa for spoiling her. Alyss had never hated the ration packs more than she did now, but since that was all they had; she’d just have to make do. The crew deck was silent and dark, but she didn’t dare turn on a light, instead, letting her biotics off their leash to swirl around her and light up only the immediate area in front of her.

Kaidan saw the bluish purple light through the med bay window, where he’d been nursing a migraine. He knew he absolutely shouldn’t do what he was thinking, but there was just something about her. He rolled out of the infirmary bed, and walked out. Maybe it was because she was a fellow biotic—but he wanted to know for sure.  
He turned the corner, and stopped dead in his tracks; Alyss stood lounging against a wall, absently eating an orange, her feet, legs, arms and one of her shoulders were all bare, and her long hair was down. Was that a skirt? His heart started pounding and he looked around wildly as vivid images flashed through his head. Something had to distract him.

“Commander?” He asked tentatively.

Alyss jumped about a foot in the air; she was definitely not expecting anyone to be here, let alone Lieutenant Alenko. The man did weird things to her—it was probably just the way he filled out his uniform. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath trying to calm herself and her biotics.

“Yes, Alenko?” They weren’t on duty, so the informal use of his last named seemed appropriate.

“Can’t sleep?” He asked, pulling out a chair at the table.

“I don’t know…I haven’t tried yet.” Alyss admitted sheepishly, sitting down next to him, ignoring the pounding of her heart as their arms touched. “What about you?”

“Migraine.” He motioned to the med bay.

“Ah…because of your biotics?”

“Dead on; do you ever get headaches because of yours?”

Alyss shook her head as she reached up to the base of her skull, where her implant had been surgically installed under her skin sixteen years prior; she couldn’t feel it but she knew it was there; though she didn’t get much trouble from the L3.

“No, not really…are yours very bad?”

“Sometimes.” Kaidan replied.

Without thinking, Alyss put her hand over his in comfort, but the two of them felt their biotics hum in unison. She whipped her hand back almost immediately, and let her biotic light dissipate, so Kaidan couldn’t see the blush creeping across her cheeks. He couldn’t get over how soft her hands were.

“I’m sorry.” She muttered.

Alyss pushed her chair back quickly with a dull scraping sound on the floor and ran for the crew quarters. Kaidan was left there all alone with his thoughts as he made his way forlornly back to the med bay, unable to forget the feel of her hand on his.

What had she done?


	6. The First Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaidan learns a secret about his commanding officer, Alyss Shepard--it's a little unconventional, but my headcannon is that Alyss plays the violin to retrieve her stress, and with their shakedown run approaching in less than twelve hours--she's definitely feeling it, not having been on the Normandy too long she starts feeling a little overwhelmed, so she breaks out her violin and Kaidan catches her in the act. Shenko Foreshadowing part 3.

Shepard sat in the mess hall—datapads littered across the table, and a chai tea latte sat billowing steam next to them; her eyes glazed and unfocused as she read reports about the Normandy. There had never been a ship like it, the Turians had helped engineer it as a sign of good faith towards humanity after the first contact war. Alyss sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She hated the paper pushing and data gathering part of her job, but knew deep down that it was necessary. She was tired of staring at datapads, and pushed her chair back from the table before standing and stretching lazily. She picked up her chai and went into her quarters, and placing the tea on the nightstand; she pulled a case out of hiding from under her bed—there was something she’d never told anyone, except for her roommate on Arcturus, because they’d caught her in the act.

She released the latches, and gazed at the polished mahogany violin staring up at her, before taking it out of its case and placing it gently under her chin and drawing the bow across the strings; the sound brought a smile to her lips—it had been too long since she’d played. Alyss reached into the case and pulled out a few pieces of scrap paper; in the technology-centric world, you didn’t see much paper anymore—but she loved the feel of it under her fingertips. She unfolded a music stand, stood it in front of her and placed the paper on it.

A haunting melody drifted through the open door, blanketing the ship in a beautiful melody. Her eyes closed as the music flowed through her. Kaidan, Joker, and Jenkins were walking into the mess talking and laughing, before stopping dead in their tracks when the heard the music. Joker cocked his head to one side—the three men had been on this ship for a couple months, and had never heard any music besides the awful canned stuff Joker sometimes played over the loudspeakers.

“Where is that coming from?” Jenkins asked looking around curiously.

“It gives me goosebumps—but who is it?” Joker muttered.

“I don’t know, but I intend to find out—it’s beautiful.” Kaidan whispered.

He left the other two alone in the mess before poking around and ducking into every room on that level—he stopped dead when he looked through the open door of the crew quarters and saw Shepard standing ramrod straight and holding a beautiful mahogany violin under her chin, drawing the bow across it delicately. Her body swayed in time with the soulful tune, before she transferred the bow to her left hand and leaned forward to pick a pencil up off the music stand in front of her and marking something on the paper with her right.

She looked so poised and elegant, Kaidan couldn’t help but stare.

“I didn’t know you played the violin.” He said, walking into the room and sitting down on her bed—ignoring how intimate that action felt.

Alyss jumped out of her skin as looked at him, startled.

She shrugged sheepishly. “Since I was 4, actually. Playing my violin and building model ships with my parents have been my stress relief all my life—I even started composing when I was 10.”

She closed her eyes in horror. Why was she telling him these things? Every time she was around him, she seemed to verbally vomit all these tiny uninteresting details about herself, but Kaidan always just listened—like he was eager to learn everything about her no matter how trivial they seemed. She bit her lip embarrassedly.

Kaidan nodded. “I get it—that’s why I sing…”

“Wait you sing?”

“When the mood strikes me.”

“I think I picture you as a jazz man—that husky voice of yours would put Frank Sinatra to shame.” She paused as she smacked herself in the forehead. “Jeez, Alyss—just stop talking.”

Kaidan chuckled throatily. “Actually, I prefer country.”

Alyss smiled as she cocked her head to the side and bit her lip again—damn that was sexy. The rough timbre of his voice was definitely suited to country music but she couldn’t stop imagining hearing him sing—just for her…

“Will you sing for me sometime?”

Both of their eyes widened in astonishment…what the Hell? Her mouth had run away with her yet again and this time there wasn’t a way to recover. Her hand flew to her mouth as if that would help her take back the question—why hadn’t her normally present filter stopped her from spitting that completely inappropriate question at her subordinate? Sure she’d been thinking it, but it was a thought that wasn’t meant to be said out loud.

Kaidan cleared his throat quickly.

“—that was a really beautiful piece you were playing earlier, is it one of yours?”

She nodded shyly. “Yeah…please don’t judge it too much yet…I’m still in the middle of composing it.”

He shook his head. “I liked it…can I hear the rest of it you have so far?”

It was her turn to shake her head. She never let anyone hear a piece before it was finished—maybe one day she’d change, but for the moment she was content to stay the way she was. However, she beckoned Kaidan over with her finger, and as he approached, Alyss held her violin and her bow out to him. He took them both gingerly.

“I may not be ready to let you hear my music, but want to give it a try?” She mumbled.

Kaidan’s eyes went wide. “I can’t play the violin.”

“I want to teach you.”

In all honesty, Alyss really just wanted a non-sleazy excuse to put her hands on him. He sighed slowly, and nodded, bringing the instrument up under his chin like he’d just seen her doing, and brought the bow across the strings making a horrible screeching noise echo around the basement, making her laugh, as he blushed and tried to hand the violin back to her.

“I’m no good.”

“You’re too tense. Cradle it gently with your chin. Loosen your fingers and your grip—close your eyes, and feel the music, as if the violin is an extension of you.” She instructed, her voice filled with mirth.

Her hands stroked his jaw as she positioned his head making him hold his breath. Her fingers slid over his, widening his grip around the neck of the violin, and then she took her sweet time repositioning his fingers on the strings over the frets and fixing his bow hand and the angle at which he would play. Next, she placed her hand between his shoulder blades, before drawing her hand down his spine, and pressing inward a little so he would stand up straighter. Kaidan bit down hard on the inside of his cheek at her touch.

“Try that.”

With a meek nod, Kaidan drew the bow across the strings, and was met with a beautiful, melodic sound. He grinned at Alyss, who smiled back, and nodded approvingly.

“I actually did it!” He gasped.

“See? It’s not so hard is it?”

The flirty tone in her voice made her cringe—if the alliance got wind of anything that had just happened they’d have her head. But honestly, she’d be the first to admit that it was kind of fun—and it didn’t look like Kaidan hated her being a tad bit unprofessional; she might have to try to break down his walls a little bit more.

“No…” Kaidan whispered.


	7. Questions, Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before making her way to the comm room she stops to talk to Jenkins, Chakwas, and Pressly--stalling before having to deal with Anderson and Nihlus. Joker and Kaidan bond briefly and Alyss finds out that the shakedown mission is about to get a lot more complicated. This is mostly the information gathering pieces.

“The Arcturus Prime Relay is in range...initiating transmission sequence.”

It was a good thing Alyss loved her job. She hadn’t gotten even forty winks but she’d be damned if she let it show. She’d been a little late, doing her makeup and actually putting on her gear instead of waiting. This had to be more than a simple shakedown run…something big was happening. But even as XO she hadn’t been let in the loop. She walked briskly towards the cockpit, almost running into a couple crew members meandering around the CIC deck reading data pads. As she passed Navigator Pressly, she sent him a brief smile. The two of them had to work closely, seeing as if anything happened to her, he became Captain Anderson’s second in command.

“We are connected. Calculating transit mass and destination. Relay is hot, acquiring approach vector. All stations secure for transit.” Joker continued over the comm.

Nihlus, the Turian Spectre who seemed to be everywhere Alyss was, had gotten to the bridge ahead of her. She stood behind him, feet shoulder width apart, hands clasped behind her back as the Mass Effect relay glowed through the view screen. She loved just coming up to the bridge sometimes, just to sit and enjoy the view. It was beautiful.

Even being raised on spaceships her whole life; the view from space always took her breath away.

“The board is green. Approach run has begun. Hitting Relay in three... two ...one.”

Alyss checked Lieutenant Alenko out from the corner of her eye. No one had ever worked with him before this mission, but she’d read his file after that embarrassing debacle on her first night on the Normandy. A very powerful L2 biotic and technologically savvy guy, he’d been with the Alliance for years. Usually human biotics weren’t respected, but they might as well get a paycheck for having powers that alienated them. She was a biotic herself—the Alliance called it a Vanguard, because she was combat capable as well, a born leader they said…and after Elysium, she could have anything she wanted.

“Thrusters...check. Navigation...check. Internal emissions sink engaged. All systems online. Drift...just under 1500 K.” Joker read.

Alyss returned her attention forward, and let her lavender eyes stare out into the black void, trying to bring her mind back to the matter at hand. She needed to focus; no matter how attractive the lieutenant was, they were on a mission, and as far as she was concerned, when they were out in the field, he was just a gun with legs…very muscular legs. Wicked thoughts flicked across her mind once more.

“Fifteen hundred is good.” Nihlus said as he turned to leave. “Your captain will be pleased.”

Alyss stepped aside so the Nihlus could pass her the two of them giving each other a slight nod. The two of them respected each other; even though first contact 30 years before had been war with the Turians, Alyss had learned that not every single one hated humanity. Hannah Shepard would be proud.

Joker shook his head. “I hate that guy.”

“Nihlus gave you a compliment, so you hate him?” Lieutenant Alenko asked, while sitting copilot.

Joker nodded.

Alyss snickered quietly. Joker was the best pilot there was, and Alyss couldn’t see why he needed a copilot, but if that was where Captain Anderson wanted the lieutenant, Alyss sure as Hell wasn’t going to force the issue. She wanted him somewhere else entirely…

“Remember to zip up your jumpsuit on the way out of the bathroom, that’s good! I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead, so that’s incredible! Besides, Spectres are trouble. I don’t like having one on board. Call me paranoid.” Joker said.

“You’re paranoid.” Kaidan retorted. “The Council helped fund this project; they have a right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment.”

“Yeah, that is the official story. Only an idiot believes the official story.” Joker pointed out.

“They don’t send Spectres on shakedown runs.” Alyss added.

Joker and Kaidan had completely forgotten Alyss was standing behind them; she was so quiet. She might as well be a ghost, for how silently she moved. But she’d been feeling something big was going to happen in her gut since they started this mission…which is why she was already fully geared.

“So there’s more going on here than the captain’s letting on.” Joker agreed.

The comm came to life.

“Joker! Status report!” Captain Anderson barked.

“Just cleared the Mass Relay, Captain.” Joker informed him, his tone indicating he was using his ‘all business’ façade. “Stealth systems engaged, everything looks solid.”

“Good. Find a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime.” Anderson ordered.

Alyss flinched. The captain did not sound happy at all, but it must’ve just been the mission. It seemed like the secrecy was very high for a shakedown, but that wasn’t what worried her. It was everything; the secrecy, her sudden transfer, Nihlus…Anderson wanted the best, but what for?

“Aye, aye, Captain.” Joker paused. “Better brace yourself, sir. I think Nihlus is headed your way.”

“He’s already here.” Kaidan shook his head as Captain Anderson continued. “Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing.”

“You get that, Commander?” Joker teased.

“He sounds angry. Something must have gone wrong with the mission.” Alyss muttered as she turned to leave the cockpit.

Joker snorted. “Pff. The captain always sounds like that when he’s talking to me.”

Kaidan scoffed. “I can’t possibly imagine why.”

Alyss smiled; you’d think the two of them had known each other for years with the way they went on together, instead of just a couple months. She was the newcomer though, only joining the crew a week before. It wasn’t much time to settle into her role as XO, but she managed, and everyone seemed to accept her. Maybe it was just the framed Star of Terra on her bedside table in the crew quarters they accepted.

She headed towards the center of the CIC, unable to see Kaidan and Joker watching her go.

“My God, she’s beautiful.” Kaidan whispered, so only Joker could hear.

Joker nodded in agreement.

“I’m telling you, I just saw him! He marched by like he was on a mission!” Charles Pressly told the comm panel in front of him.

“He’s a Spectre. They’re always on a mission.” Gregory Adams replied.

Adams was the Normandy’s chief engineer, and a damn good one at that. He and Alyss had many technical chats about engineering in general, and Alyss was convinced he and Dr. Karin Chakwas had a thing between them...no one but the doctor called him Greg. He didn’t care what Alyss had done before…all he cared about was how she treated his ship—though Joker could argue that the Normandy was his baby.

“And we’re getting dragged right along with him.” Pressly scowled.

“Relax, Pressly. You’re going to give yourself an ulcer.” Adams laughed.

Now that Alyss had the time, she thought she’d chat with Pressly—having been getting geared up and was only able to give him a brief smile in passing. The two of them were two sides of the same coin. While Pressly was a stickler for rules and regulations, Alyss had a more of a laid back, and open door policy, but sometimes they switched roles. However, she was pretty sure she intimidated most of the crew more than Pressly did…being the Hero of the Blitz seemed to ostracize her.

She stopped next to Pressly’s console, and he saluted her.

“Congratulations, Commander. Looks like we’ve had a smooth run. You heading down to see the captain?”

Alyss bit her lip…should she let him know she’d eavesdropped a little on him? Would he be angry? She took a deep breath. Why not just go for it? She respected Nihlus, but since first contact hadn’t been that long ago—at 29, she’d just missed the First Contact War—but she knew why most of the crew distrusted him.

“It sounds like you don’t trust our Turian guest.” 

“Sorry, Commander; just having a chat with Adams down in engineering. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble. But you have to admit, something’s odd about this mission. The whole crew feels it.” Pressly admitted.

Boy, did she know it.

“You think the Alliance brass is holding out on us?” Alyss asked.

She certainly did.

It was always nice to get a second opinion, so where was the harm in asking what she already figured? It’d be nice to hear the second XO’s opinion. The two of them hadn’t gotten where they were without trusting their instincts. Alyss patted Pressly’s shoulder, comfortingly; asking him to continue without words. He seemed tense.

Pressly threw his hand up. “If all we’re supposed to do is test out the stealth system, why is Captain Anderson in charge? And then there’s Nihlus. Spectres are elite operatives. Top covert agents. Why send a Spectre—a Turian Spectre—on a shakedown run? It doesn’t add up.

“What can you tell me about the stealth systems?” Alyss asked because the Normandy was a prototype, the first ship of its kind with certain added features; and as the XO, she felt she needed to know everything about its inner workings.

“I just know it masks our location from scans and sensors. Cutting edge technology. The Normandy’s the only ship with this prototype drive. But why are we fully staffed? A skeleton crew would be cheaper. Less chance of security leaks, too. Plus, there’s Nihlus. It’s pretty obvious this shakedown run is just a cover.”

Alyss twirled her shoulder length black hair around her fingers, having been in too much of a hurry to pull it up earlier. She always did that when she was deep in thought—and Pressly brought up some excellent points. What, exactly, were they doing?

“For what?”

“Damned if I know, Commander. We’re out here on false pretenses. I’m not a fan of being left in the dark.”

Alyss cocked her head to the side. “Do you have a problem with the captain?”

She may not have been on the Normandy long. But she knew that everybody loved Captain Anderson, herself included—however, she’d known him for years...but maybe everyone was just on edge today. Pressly shook his head immediately, like she’d just slapped him in the face and insulted his honor. She was toeing a dangerous line.

“No ma’am. But I can’t figure out what he’s doing here. Captain Anderson is one of the most decorated Special Forces operatives in the service. If he melted down all his medals, he could make a life-size statue of himself. You don’t send a soldier like that on a do-nothing mission. He’s treating this shakedown run too seriously. Something big is going on.” Pressly alleged.

Red lips opened in an ‘oh’ shape. “You don’t trust Nihlus.”

Pressly shrugged. “I don’t like Turians in general; it runs in my family. My grandfather fought in the First Contact War; lost a lot of friends when the Turians hit us.”

“That was thirty years ago. You can’t blame Nihlus for that.”

“No, I guess not. But it still makes me nervous to have a Spectre on board, especially a Turian. We’re an Alliance vessel, human military. But Nihlus doesn’t answer to the captain like the rest of us. Spectres operate outside the normal chain of command. And they don’t come along just to observe shakedown runs. Nihlus looks like he’s expecting some heavy action. I don’t like it.”

Alyss nodded. “I’ll see if I can get some answers when I see him.”

“Good luck, Commander.”

“I grew up on Eden Prime, Doc. It’s not the kind of place Spectres visit. There’s something Nihlus isn’t telling us about this mission.” Corporal Richard Jenkins chattered excitedly.

“That’s crazy. The captain’s in charge here; he wouldn’t take orders from a Spectre.” Dr. Chakwas sighed.

“Not his choice, Doc. Spectres don’t answer to anyone. They can do whatever they want. Kill anyone who gets in their way.”

Dr. Chakwas laughed. “You watch too many spy vids, Jenkins.”

Alyss knew she shouldn’t be dawdling as much as she was, but she wanted her crew to know she cared about what they thought. But Captain Anderson was a patient man…plus, she’d already eavesdropped twice that morning; why not keep her streak alive? Dr. Chakwas motioned her over when she noticed her hanging at the fringes of hers and Jenkins’ conversation. Alyss smiled.

Jenkins saluted her. “What do you think Commander? We won’t be staying on Eden Prime too long, will we? I’m itching for some real action!”

Dr. Chakwas frowned. “I sincerely hope you’re kidding, Corporal. Your real action usually ends with me patching up crew members in the infirmary.”

“You need to calm down, Corporal. A good soldier stays cool, even under fire.” Alyss cautioned.

It was an attitude that had gotten her through a lot in life. At Elysium, she knew she couldn’t save the colonists the batarians had killed, but instead of dwelling on the dead, she’d had to keep herself focused on the living. Focused on the ones she could still save.

Jenkins shrugged. “Sorry, Commander. But this waiting’s killing me. I’ve never been on a mission like this before. Not one with a Spectre on board!”

“Just treat this like every other assignment you’ve had and everything will work out.” Alyss assured him.

“Easy for you to say. You proved yourself during the Blitz. Everybody knows what you can do. This is my big chance. I need to show the brass what I can do!”

“You’re young, Corporal. You have a long career ahead of you. Don’t do something stupid to mess it up.” Alyss told him.

“Don’t worry ma’am. I’m not going to screw this up.”

“What can you tell me about Nihlus?” Alyss asked, looking directly at Dr. Chakwas.

Karin shrugged and rubbed the back of her neck. “Turians are generally well-respected by the other species. Their fleet has more patrols protecting Citadel space than any other. They don’t always get along well with us, though. Some people find them too rigid. Others still blame them for the First Contact War. As for Nihlus, I haven’t said more than two words to him. He usually only speaks to the captain.”

Jenkins was bouncing on the balls of his feet. His childish excitement made Alyss smile a little; she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been that excited—Christmas when she was ten? Her father had finally caved and gotten her model ship kit she’d been eyeing for months. Her love of ships had been drummed into her from day one.

“I hope we get a chance to see him in action. I heard Nihlus took down an entire enemy platoon all by himself!” Jenkins gushed.

Alyss knew a case of hero worship when she heard one—Jenkins had been like that when he’d met her too. So were a lot of people though. She didn’t mind all the attention, but she loved to just get away from all the fame and just be Alyss instead of Alyss Shepard. It was why she’d agreed to go to that spa weekend with her mother.

“What do you know about Spectres?”

Alyss had been lax in her duties as of late, she was supposed to have all her intel on hand and here she was gathering it all at the last minute. Maybe it had just taken her until now to realize what an enormous amount of pressure she was under.

“Only what I’ve heard. Spectre agents work directly for the Citadel Council. They usually work alone or in small groups. Spectres don’t have any official power, though. Basically, they’re a shadow organization with a mandate to preserve and protect galactic stability.”

“Protect it at any cost. Don’t forget that part. Spectres operate above the law!” Jenkins cut in.

Alyss raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “Why don’t we have any of our own people in there?”

“Spectres usually come from the Council races. Like the Turians. We’ve been trying to get a human accepted into their ranks for years now. So far, it hasn’t happened.” Karin responded.

Jenkins’ eyes lit up. “Hey, Commander! You’d make a good Spectre! You’re a war hero right? Held off an entire enemy fleet during the blitz single-handed. That’s the kind of talent the Spectres are looking for.”

Alyss blushed, and began twirling a strand of silky black hair around her fingers.

Dr. Chakwas shook her head.

“This is all just wild speculation! The Spectres aren’t interested in recruiting Humans, no matter how capable.”

“How do you control agents with unlimited power?” Alyss asked; to her it sounded dangerous, though if given the choice, she hoped she’d never have to compromise her morals to achieve her goal—even if she could make her own rules.

“I suppose the Council could revoke the Spectre status of an agent who got out of hand. At that point, Citadel Security Services would take over.” Dr. Chakwas wasn’t entirely sure though, Alyss could tell by the tone of her voice.

Jenkins shook his head. “Those C-Sec grunts wouldn’t stand a chance. A Spectre’s worth twenty ordinary soldiers. The Spectres police themselves. An agent goes rogue, they send another agent to take ‘em down. That’s Spectre justice!”

“The Corporal’s confusing romantic legends with reality, Commander.”

“You’re from Eden Prime, aren’t you Jenkins? What’s it like?” Alyss had fizzled out on the topic of Spectres.

“It’s very peaceful, Commander. They’ve been really careful with development, so you don’t have any city noise or pollution. My parents lived on the outskirts of the colony. At night I used to climb this big hill and stare across the fields back at the lights from the main settlement. It was gorgeous. But when I got older, I realized it was a little too calm and quiet for me. That’s why I joined the Alliance. Even paradise gets boring after a while.”

Alyss would happily take boring paradise over destroyed and war torn any day.

“Any idea why Eden Prime was chosen as our destination?”

Jenkins shook his head. “Not really sure, Commander. Eden Prime’s one of our most stable colonies. Good place to take the Normandy for her shakedown run, I guess. No real danger there. But there’s gotta be something else going on. We’ve got a Spectre on board! That’s why I’m so wound up. I can’t wait for the real mission to start!”

Alyss knew she’d wasted enough time dawdling, and needed to get to the comm room; even Anderson’s patience had its limits. “The captain’s waiting for me.”

“Goodbye, Commander.” Dr. Chakwas said.


	8. Distress Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finally making it to the comm room, Alyss not only finds out that she's a candidate for the spectres but also that Nihlus put her name forward, and suddenly the simple grab and go mission on Eden prime gets way more complicated. How were they supposed to know how big this shakedown run was going to end up being?

Alyss sighed and walked around the wall, earning salutes from the two men guarding the door to the briefing room. She gave them each a slight nod in return, and the doors slid open in front of her. It was her favorite part.

Captain Anderson wasn’t in the Comm room when Alyss finally made her way in there—but Nihlus was. Anderson must’ve been coming up from his quarters and was still in the elevator. Nihlus had his back to her, but she knew for a fact he’d heard the door open. She made her way down the gangplank, and he turned slowly to face her, like he was making sure they were alone.

“Commander Shepard. I was hoping you’d get here first. It will give us a chance to talk.” Nihlus crossed his arms over his chest.

“The captain said he’d meet me here.” Alyss stated.

“He’s on his way.” Nihlus uncrossed his arms and began pacing...was that uncertainty she sensed? “I’m interested in this world we’re going to—Eden Prime. I hear it’s quite beautiful.”

Alyss nodded. “They say it’s a paradise.”

“Yes...a paradise. Serene. Tranquil. Safe. Eden Prime has become something of a symbol for your people, hasn’t it? Proof that humanity can not only establish colonies across the galaxy, but also protect them. But how safe is it, really?”

Shepard took a step forward, one eyebrow raised. “Do you know something?”

“Your people are still newcomers, Shepard. The galaxy can be a dangerous place. Is the Alliance truly ready for this?” Nihlus continued.

It didn’t sound exactly like a threat, but why did she get the feeling that they were no longer talking about Eden Prime? The doors to the FTL comm room whooshed open, and Captain Anderson walked down the gangplank. Saved by the bell.

“I think it’s about time we told the commander what’s really going on.” Captain Anderson said, in that deep voice of his.

“This mission is far more than a simple shakedown run.” Nihlus interjected.

Alyss had to stop herself from snorting in satisfaction; everyone knew it. “I figured there was something you weren’t telling us.”

“We’re making a covert pick-up on Eden Prime. That’s why we needed the stealth systems operational.” Anderson nodded.

“There must be a reason you didn’t tell me about this, sir.” It wasn’t a question.

“This comes down from the top, Commander. Information strictly on a need-to-know basis. A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of beacon. It was Prothean.” The captain told her, looking directly into her eyes.

This was big.

A wave of excitement washed over Alyss, but she didn’t let it show. Everyone always wanted to know more about the protheans, they’d built the Citadel and the mass relays, but there was next to nothing known about them.

“I thought the Protheans vanished 50,000 years ago.” Alyss stated.

“Their legacy still remains. The mass relays, the Citadel, our ship drives—it’s all based on Prothean technology.” Nihlus explained.

“This is big, Shepard. The last time humanity made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward two hundred years. But Eden Prime doesn't have the facilities for something like this. We need to bring it back to the Citadel for proper study.” Anderson continued.

“Obviously this goes beyond mere human interests, Commander.” Nihlus added. “This discovery could affect every species in Council space.”

“Why didn’t we keep the beacon for ourselves?” It was a legitimate question.

“You humans don’t have the best reputation. Some species see you as selfish. Too unpredictable. Too independent. Even dangerous.” Nihlus apparently didn’t feel the need to sugar coat the issue; he was starting to grow on her.

“Sharing that beacon will improve relations with the Council. Plus, we need their scientific expertise; they know more about the Protheans than we do.” Anderson concluded.

Nihlus uncrossed his arms and stopped lounging against the railing and took a couple steps towards her. “The beacon’s not the only reason I’m here, Shepard.”

“Nihlus wants to see you in action, Commander; he’s here to evaluate you.”

Alyss’ eyes went wide—her…a Spectre?!? There was no doubt the honor this was, but if she’d realized what they were doing before, she wouldn’t have stood there gaping at them like an idiot. She closed her mouth, recovering from the initial shock rather quickly.

“Guess that explains why I bump into him every time I turn around.” Alyss’ tone was more amused than shocked; good.

“The Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role in shaping interstellar policy. We want more say with the Citadel Council. The Spectres represent the Council’s power and authority. If they accept a human into their ranks, it will show how far the Alliance has come.” Anderson explained.

“You held off an enemy assault during the Blitz single-handed.” Nihlus said. “You showed not only courage, but also incredible skill. That’s why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres.”

The first human Spectre…Alyss knew without hesitation she was ready for this. Then it sunk in. Nihlus had put her name forward—not Captain Anderson or Admiral Hackett, but this hard-ass Turian Spectre. She would always owe Nihlus for this opportunity…a debt she didn’t feel she could ever repay.

“Why would a Turian want a human in the Spectres?” She asked.

Nihlus looked amused. “Not all Turians resent humanity. Some of us see the potential of your species. We see what you have to offer to the rest of the galaxy…and to the Spectres. We are an elite group. It’s rare to find an individual with the skills we seek. I don’t care that you’re human, Shepard. I only care that you can do the job.”

She hoped she wouldn’t let him down…he was taking a big risk on her. She looked to Captain Anderson; Alyss would never dream of doing this without the complete approval of her mentor and friend. Admiral Hackett probably had something to do with this as well.

“I assume this is good for the Alliance?” She continued.

“Earth needs this, Shepard.” Captain Anderson nodded; inadvertently piling on more pressure. “We’re counting on you.”

“I need to see your skills for myself, Commander. Eden Prime will be the first of several missions together.” Nihlus stated with a hint of finality to his statement.

“You’ll be in charge of the ground team. Secure the beacon and get it onto the ship ASAP. Nihlus will accompany you to observe the mission.” Anderson informed her.

She refused to go into a mission with a Spectre evaluating her without all the facts. She needed to know everything; Alyss had never done anything half way before, and didn’t intend to start now. So before they got there, she intended to get as much information as she could.

“What do you know about the Protheans?” She asked.

Anderson smiled; it did his heart good that his protégé remembered the basics.

“Just what they taught us in school. They were a technologically-advanced species that ruled the galaxy 50,000 years ago. Then they vanished. Nobody really knows how or why, though I’ve heard plenty of theories. But everyone agrees galactic civilization wouldn’t exist without them.” He told her.

“Their Citadel is the very heart of galactic society. And without their mass relays, interstellar travel would be impossible. We all owe the Protheans a great debt.” Nihlus added.

“I’d like to know more about Eden Prime before we touch down.” She looked pointedly at Captain Anderson.

“It’s a peaceful farming world, but it represents something much bigger. Eden Prime is one of our oldest and most successful colonies. It proved we were ready to face the challenges of settling new worlds, to forge a place for humanity beyond Earth. It symbolizes humanity’s growth and evolution as a spacefaring species. And after this, it will be known as the world where humans made a discovery of galactic importance.”

“Why is this beacon so important?”

Nihlus decided to field this question. “All advanced galactic civilization is based on Prothean technology; even yours.”

“If we hadn’t discovered those Prothean ruins buried on Mars, we’d still be stuck on Earth. That was just a small data cache. Who knows what we can learn from this beacon? What if it’s a weapons archive? We can’t let it fall into the wrong hands.” Anderson wrung his hands together.

“Like who?” Alyss asked.

Nihlus remained silent.

“The Attican Traverse isn’t the most stable sector of Citadel space. There are plenty of raiders and criminal groups active in the region. They might figure a Prothean beacon is worth the risk of attacking an Alliance ship. Plus, Eden Prime is right on the border of the Terminus Systems.”

Alyss scrunched up her nose. “The Attican Traverse is under Citadel protection. If the Terminus Systems attack, it’s an act of war.”

“Technically, yes. But some of the species in the Terminus might be willing to start a war over this.” Nihlus muttered.

“The last thing the Council wants is to get dragged into a major conflict with the Terminus Systems. We have to keep this low-key.” Anderson cautioned.

Alyss understood completely. “Just give the word, Captain.”

“We should be getting close to Eden—” He began, before being interrupted by Joker’s voice over the comm.

“Captain, we’ve got a problem.”

“What’s wrong, Joker?” Anderson asked.

“Transmission from Eden Prime, sir. You better see this!”

Captain Anderson frowned and nodded briefly. “Bring it up on screen.”

A direct order.

An image popped up on the vid screen in the comm room directly over the heads of the three of them. It was low quality, with a low resolution and plenty of static. Multiple gunshots from various weapons could be heard in the background. Wasn’t this supposed to be a simple grab-and-go mission? What the Hell had happened in the stretch of a few minutes?

A woman in pink and white armor ran towards the camera, pushing the head of the camera man down, as she yelled at everyone else to get down. The camera operator must have been terrified, as the camera never remained stationary for more than a few seconds; it moved wildly and the shots continued. For a moment there was nothing but a shaking screen and static then the face of a marine was visible.

“We are under attack!” The man yelled over the continued sounds of gunfire. “Taking heavy casualties! I repeat, heavy casualties! We can’t–-eed evac—they came out of nowhere, we need—” The man fell to the ground, and the camera with him; taking a shot of two marines as it went down and something off in the distance.

It was hard enough to hear him over the gunshots, but with the constant static and shaking, Alyss was amazed she could pick anything out. What on Earth was happening down there? So much for the quick pick-up; there was no way they could just get in and get out without incident now. Something was sparking in the background and caught her attention for a brief instant, but just as quickly as it appeared it was gone.

“Everything cuts out after that. No comm traffic at all. It just goes dead.” Joker said.

“Reverse and hold at 38.5.” Anderson barked; and the vid returned to the shot of what had caught Alyss’ attention…it looked like a giant, sparking insect—was it a ship? Nihlus’ mandibles flicked out in confusion. “Status report!”

Joker’s tone was his ‘all business’ façade again. “Seventeen minutes out, Captain. No other Alliance ships in the area.”

“Take us in, Joker. Fast and quiet. This mission just got a lot more complicated.” For now, it seemed like the scowl on Anderson’s face was a permanent feature.

“A small strike team can move quickly, without drawing attention. It’s our best chance to secure the beacon.” Nihlus suggested; his tone meant business.

Alyss was glaring at the vid screen, where it was still paused on the giant, sparking insect. There was something about it that made her uneasy. Could a ship really get that size? It looked like ‘the legs’ were moving of their own accord as well. What the Hell? Was she just seeing things?

“Grab your gear and meet us in the cargo hold.” He told Nihlus who nodded and turned to leave, as he looked sidelong at Alyss. “Tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up, Commander. You’re going in.”

Alyss took one last look at the thing on the screen, and nodded, turning to walk away.

Captain Anderson was staring at the image as well. She took a deep breath, and reached up to pull up her hair; it was go time, and the last thing she needed was her hair to get in her face when she was shooting at something. She walked to the bridge, alerting Jenkins and Kaidan, and then she headed down to the shuttle bay grabbing her N7 helmet, and pulling it down on her head.

Her stomach twisted in knots—this was certainly more complicated than it should’ve been.


	9. The Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So we lose someone this chapter--if you've played the game you know who it is. There's a little Shenko, a little mako humor and some death and destruction here and there. It takes us right into the next couple chapters, Eden prime is long and informative.

The Normandy began its descent into orbit around Eden Prime, as Alyss and her team strapped their guns to their backs. While Alyss favored her pistol and shotgun, having a sniper rifle and an assault rifle for extra firepower was never a bad idea.

“Engaging stealth systems.” Joker’s voice rang out over the speakers in the cargo hold. “Somebody was doing some serious digging here, Captain.”

“Your team’s the muscle in this operation, Commander. Go in heavy and head straight for the dig site.” Anderson ordered.

“What about survivors, Captain?” Lieutenant Alenko asked.

“Helping survivors is a secondary objective. The beacon's your top priority.” Captain Anderson replied shaking his head sadly.

Alyss grimaced; after Elysium she tried not to leave anyone behind, and as high priority as the mission was, if she could help she planned to…orders be damned. She just hoped her team would be behind her one hundred percent, with that attitude.

“Approaching Drop Point One.” Joker announced.

Jenkins glanced over his shoulders, hearing a click as Nihlus finished checking his gun. His excitement came back in waves. He really would get a chance to see the Spectre in action. Kaidan looked over too; Alyss was the only one not surprised, seeing as it was her skills he was observing, and kept her eyes forward. Nihlus walked past her to the bay doors.

“Nihlus, you’re coming with us?” Jenkins inquired.

The Turian nodded briefly and did one more check on his shotgun. The last thing he needed was for it to jam on him. He pointed it out the open door towards the blood red horizon on Eden Prime. He started to jog out.

“I move faster on my own.” Nihlus replied.

“Nihlus will scout out ahead, He’ll feed you status reports throughout the mission; otherwise, I want radio silence.” Anderson continued.

Alyss nodded briefly. “We’ve got his back, Captain.”

“The mission’s yours now, Shepard. Good luck.”

“We are approaching Drop Point Two...” Joker interjected, bringing the Normandy down for the second landing party to get out.

Alyss wished that she could drive the Mako…she was crazy behind the wheel of that thing, but a bumpy ride—even if some of the tricks she pulled were a little bit on the dangerous side—was fun as Hell. She loved making people squirm a little when she was behind the wheel.

She jumped the short distance from the Normandy to the ground, and landed kneeling. She looked up into the red sky, searching for the ship, but there was a reddish haze blanketing everything, no matter where she looked. Sighing quietly, she stood, and pulled her pistol out of its holster. It was better to err on the side of caution.

“Ship perimeter secure, Commander!” Kaidan told her.

She nodded, tense with unease, and started jogging forward.

“This place got hit hard, Commander. Hostiles everywhere; keep your guard up.” Nihlus’ voice warned over her helmet radio.

She popped a barrier, coating herself in some biotic protection—an extra layer of defense, just in case they met something the shields in her suit couldn’t handle. Kaidan had been watching her from the corner of his eye as he and Richard followed closely behind her. His heart fluttered with something that wasn’t nervousness as he saw her bathed in that bluish purple light, remembering her in that miniskirt on her first night. He popped a barrier as well.

She slowed down when she spotted some sort of floating life form ahead of her, bubblegum pink and bulbous, with trailing brown tentacles. They were fascinating, and didn’t seem to care about their presence one way or the other. She edged forward towards one nervously.

“What the hell are those?” Kaidan asked incredulously, voicing her thoughts exactly.

“Gas bags.” Jenkins explained to them. “Don’t worry—they’re harmless.”

The clear expanse of exposed ground they were running on, soon gave way to a fairly narrow path between two rocky ridges of land with two large glowing towers off to their left. They proceeded cautiously, moving from one outcropping of rock to the next, Alyss never wavering from being on point. If someone got hurt, she wanted it to be her. They found two bodies, charred nearly to the bone, laying on a large, flat rock. She stopped for an instant to examine them, as the horrid truth began to dawn on Jenkins.

“Oh, God. What happened here?” He cried.

Alyss wanted to reach out and hug him. For all she knew those could’ve been his friends or his family…coming home to it like this must’ve been hard on him. The two glittering towers that marked an encampment that should’ve held dozens of colonists now loomed ahead. Alyss fought the urge to turn and shield her companions from the bodies littering the ground ahead. They were grown men.

She heard something, and held up a hand for the two men to stop. She didn’t see anything yet, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t there. She motioned to a low rock formation, meaning for them to take cover, as she did the same. Jenkins started forward first, griping his assault rifle. He screamed as a barrage of bullets ripped into him. He hit the ground with a thud.

Alyss bit her lip as she sprang out of covering firing a single shot into each of the synthetic drones as Kaidan released a powerful biotic throw against them. Alyss inhaled sharply, ignoring every wicked thought filling her head. He was powerful. She stood protectively over Jenkins as they exploded into a shower of fire and parts. They were recon drones, meaning there were most definitely more of them up ahead, but for now the perimeter was clear.

Kaidan knelt down behind her, over Jenkins’ body, she turned and knelt too, as Kaidan drew Richard’s eyelids down with his fingers so neither had to stare into those gentle eyes. She closed her eyes in silent prayer because she knew before Kaidan shook his head. Richard Jenkins was dead.

“Ripped right through his shields; never had a chance.” Kaidan said.

The two of them stood up together. Kaidan looked so sad and Alyss just wanted to hold him and tell him that everything would be all right…it was a disastrous thought that she did her best to trample out. Jenkins and Kaidan had been friends, and she’d only known him for a few days—he had to be hurting more than she was. Her arms fell to her sides.

“We’ll see that he receives a proper service when the mission is complete. But I need you to stay focused.” Her voice was soft, but firm; they needed to keep moving.

“Aye, aye, ma’am.” Kaidan replied, knowing she was right.

Oh, if he could do something to wipe that unhappy look off her face, Kaidan gladly would’ve tried anything. This amazingly beautiful and strong woman, obviously cared about people under her command, and losing someone didn’t seem to sit right with her, even if she hadn’t really known Richard at all.

They headed uphill, past more gas bags, and were now close enough to see smoke pouring out of all the buildings she’d been using as landmarks. Another squad of scout drones appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and Kaidan felt reality warp under both of their biotics as they used them against their attackers; her powers were relentless: after warp, she let loose a full biotic throw, and then biotically charged at the final drone, while Kaidan hacked their systems, and shot them.

She wasn’t going to lose anyone else.


	10. Enter Ashley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, the dead one has now been replaced...that was quick. I started this chapter off with a little bit of Shenko, before we meet our Gunnery Chief and some husks. There's more death and destruction, but that seems to be all of Eden Prime doesn't it? We even get a few geth, but at first the crew of the Normandy doesn't know what they're seeing or walking into, but at least they've made it to the dig site, only to find that the beacon isn't there anymore.

Kaidan stumbled, and Alyss practically ran to him, helping him into cover in case more recon drones were on the way. He had a gash on his calf he hadn’t even noticed until he tried to run after her; she knelt beside him, and gently applied some medi gel. His heart careened against his ribcage at her touch.

“You okay?” She asked; her face filled with concern…for him.

“Yeah, just let it set for a minute, and I’ll be good to go.” He chuckled, trying to bring a smile to her face—it worked.

She beamed at him. “Good.”

“I’ve got some burned out buildings here, Shepard. A lot of bodies…” Nihlus trailed off. “I’m going to check it out. I’ll try to catch up with you at the dig site.”

Alyss looked at Kaidan, who nodded, the medi-gel was working, and they could continue on. They found themselves in a woody grove, which would have been beautiful if it hadn’t been for all the bodies and more drones. She dove behind a tree, and only popped out to fire a couple rounds into the latter, occasionally throwing in some biotics, instead of going full out this time. She kept Lieutenant Alenko in her peripheral vision.

Shepard suddenly noticed the sound of gunfire; it had taken her a few moments to determine what the sound was. They made their way over the rise and out of the trees both with their pistols still drawn. She hadn’t lowered her weapon or her barrier since they’d touched down. A woman in pink and white armor was sprinting towards them…pursued by two drones.

The woman tripped; her foot caught on a piece of rock embedded in the ground poking up and as she fell, she barrel rolled onto her side. The woman pulled her pistol off her belt, and fired two shots into each drone, causing them to explode overhead. Alyss jogged forward, ready to lend a hand.

Nothing in her training could’ve prepared her for what she saw. There were two synthetics, holding a colonist and putting him on a strange tripod; he looked woozy like he was just waking up after being drugged…or like he was very happy to see the two things standing over him. No one saw the spike jutting up suddenly and impaling him through the heart coming.

The woman made a horrified noise, alerting the two synthetics to her presence as she ran to hide behind a rock in the hopes that they wouldn’t see her, and Alyss swore under her breath. She needed help. Alyss charged biotically at the first, and shot it in its flashlight head when she was finished, as Alenko and the woman took down the second one. What the Hell was going on here?

“Thanks for your help, Commander. I didn’t think I was going to make it.” The woman saluted. “Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212. You the one in charge here, ma’am?”

Alyss nodded briefly. “Are you wounded, Williams?”

She shrugged and started pacing. “A few scrapes and burns; nothing serious. The others weren’t so lucky. Oh, man…we were patrolling the perimeter when the attack hit. We tried to get off a distress call, but they cut off our communications. I’ve been fighting for my life ever since.”

“Where’s the rest of your squad?” Alyss asked, though she was already sure she knew the answer.

“We tried to double back to the beacon.” Williams said, looking down sadly. “But we walked into an ambush. I don’t think any of the others… I think I’m the only one left.”

Alyss knew that look…the weight of the world and a dozen lives counting on you; it was a look of guilt—surviving and letting all those people down. To lose them was never fun…especially because it had all happened in about thirty minutes—some of her squad had still been alive when they received the distress call, and the Normandy had only been seventeen minutes away.

She’d had the same look when she hadn’t saved all the colonists on Elysium.

“This isn’t your fault, Williams. You couldn’t have done anything to save them.” Alyss tried to console her.

“Yes ma’am.” She didn’t sound convinced. “We held our position as long as we could…until the Geth overwhelmed us.”

Alenko cocked his head to one side. “The Geth haven’t been seen outside the Veil in nearly 200 years. Why are they here now?”

“They must have come for the beacon.” Williams guessed. “The dig site is close. Just over that rise. It might still be there.”

Shepard gave a half smile. “We could use your help, Williams.”

“Aye, aye, ma’am. It’s time for payback.”

Alyss didn’t want to aid in a petty and counter-productive revenge scheme, but it seemed that they were going to be fighting the Geth anyways—they didn’t seem to want to talk things through. She definitely understood the chief’s motives, however, and didn’t feel the need to speak up.

“What else do you know about the Geth?”

“Just what I remember from history class back in school: they’re synthetics; non-organic life-forms with limited AI programming created by the quarians a few centuries ago. They were supposed to be a source of cheap labor, but ended up turning on the quarians and drove them into exile. After that, they just kind of disappeared behind the Perseus Veil. Nobody’s really heard much from them since.” Williams replied.

Alyss knew that Williams thought it was a waste of time, but maybe there was something she could learn—like why the Geth were suddenly beyond the veil and what that insect-like ship was doing here. It didn’t look like any Geth ship she’d ever seen back in history class. She hoped she got some answers…no matter how unsatisfactory they were; she felt like they were just giving her more questions.

“Tell me everything you know about the beacon.” Alyss commanded.

Ashley looked around briefly. “They were doing some digging out here to extend the monorail and expand the colony. A few weeks ago they unearthed some Prothean ruins…and the beacon. Suddenly, every scientific expert in the colony was interested. That’s when they brought us in to secure the site. I don’t know much about the beacon itself. But I heard one of the researchers say this could be the biggest scientific discovery of the century.”

Shepard furrowed her brow. “What happened to the researchers at the dig site?”

Williams shook her head. “I don’t know. They set up camp near the beacon; the 232 was with them. Maybe their unit fared better than mine.”

“Describe what happened leading up to the attack.”

“We were sent out a couple nights ago from the main colony to secure the area. Seemed like a routine patrol until the Geth hit us. We never knew they were coming.”

Alyss knew they should catch up with Nihlus, but maybe he’d crossed through here—he couldn’t be that far ahead already could he? “Have you seen a Turian Spectre around here?”

“There aren’t any Turians on Eden Prime…none that I’ve ever met. Not sure I’d be able to tell if one was a Spectre, anyway.” Williams admitted.

Kaidan chuckled, making Alyss hold her breath. “If you saw this guy, you’d know; carries enough firepower to wipe out a whole platoon. Luckily, he’s on our side.”

“Sorry. Like I said, no Turians.”

Alyss nodded briefly, silently releasing the breath she’d held. That would have to be enough for now…they needed to meet Nihlus at the spaceport, and it seemed unwise to keep him waiting any longer than she had to. She pointed with her shotgun.

“Move out.” Alyss ordered.

The trio picked their way carefully, trying their best to be quiet and not draw attention to themselves. This place would never be the same, and everyone knew it. Everywhere one looked, there were those horrible spikes with bodies on them, bodies burned to a crisp strewn across the ground, and smoke billowing up into the red clouds.

“The beacon’s at the far end of this trench.” Ashley pointed out quietly.

The Geth hadn’t taken any time moving in to secure the dig site. It seemed like they were only scouting out in small groups, so as to be less noticeable. At this rate finding survivors seemed like a slim-to-nothing chance, but she was still holding out hope. She used her pistol to get a headshot on the nearest of the Geth, as Kaidan hacked into the second’s system, and Ashley riddled the third full of ammo.

As the last Geth fell, the three moved out of cover and walked into a small clearing. It was empty, but they were exactly where Williams had said they needed to be. Someone had moved the beacon—but whom? Alyss knelt to examine the circle of metallic material, but oddly enough, it felt like stone.

“This is the dig site. The beacon was right here. It must have been moved.” Ashley confirmed.

“By who? Our side? Or the Geth?” Kaidan asked.

It was good to know that everyone was on the same page.

Ashley shrugged. “Hard to say. Maybe we’ll know more after we check out the research camp.”

“You think anyone got out of here alive?” Alyss stood and crossed her fingers; she was hoping.

Williams grimaced. “If they were lucky. Maybe hiding up in the camp. It’s just on the top of this ridge, up the ramps.”

“That man was still alive when they stuck him on that spike.” Kaidan said, as they stood there for a second, checking their surroundings.

“Killing us isn’t enough. The Geth want us to suffer.” Ashley replied, checking her ammo.

The radio inside her helmet crackled to life before Alyss had a chance to respond. It had been a while since she’d heard from Nihlus; he must’ve found something very important to say, since they’d been ordered onto radio silence. She took a couple steps back from Alenko and Williams, just to make sure she could hear properly.

“Change of plans, Shepard. There’s a small spaceport up ahead. I want to check it out. I’ll wait for you there.”

Alyss pointed up the ramp; Kaidan was on the same radio frequency and he heard everything. The camp came into sight as they reached the top of the ramp, but the Geth had clearly been here. They’d left some more impaled bodies to greet anyone who came after them—but these looked different.


	11. Survivors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard and Co. find their first survivors, meet some husks, and learn that there is a second turian on a human colony which is odd in and of itself. Crazy Manuel has no idea how right he is about the beacon unleashing a reign of destruction upon us all--maybe he can see the future... There's a little more death and destruction and Chaos in this chapter.

“Looks like they hit the camp hard.” Williams stated.

“It’s a good place for an ambush. Keep your guard up.” Kaidan warned.

Alyss checked her pistol and her barrier—she’d almost forgotten it was still up; the strain of keeping a constant barrier was minimal and all too familiar. Something moved off to the left. Alyss whirled towards it, pistol raised in defense, however keeping herself from shooting in case it was a colonist…even if she assumed any survivors would be inside; away from the Geth. Another trio of spikes, each holding one of those different bodies, slowly came down from up in the air; they must’ve had a sensor or something in case someone got too close.

One of the bodies twitched.

“Oh, God!” Kaidan cried. “They’re still alive!”

The spikes had fully lowered now, and the corpses pulled away from the tripods with an electrical residue, leaving behind small pieces of dried tissue. They began walking towards her squad. This was not going to end well—they didn’t look like they wanted to talk either, and Alyss pulled out her shotgun; she was pretty sure they needed more firepower.

She hesitated. These things had been people once…but what were they now? Husks of what they once were; every critical piece was replaced with tech and machines…Whatever they were now, it was definitely not human.

“What did the Geth do to them?” Ashley yelled, incredulously.

“I know it’s awful, but take them down!” Alyss ordered.

The trio of soldiers made quick work of the…husks…with just their side arms. All the machine parts didn’t stop them from being dissolved by chemical, phasic, and incendiary rounds. The battle didn’t take very long, and Alyss found herself straying towards the equipment sheds for the camp, to take cover and reload.

“Now we know what those spikes are for: turning our own dead against us.” Kaidan muttered, looking around.

“That door. It’s closed; security lock’s engaged.” Williams pointed out.

Alyss nodded. It was a good sign, those husks had seemed mindless, their only thought to overload their circuits and take her team down with them. They were not smart enough to close and lock a door, which meant they had just found their first survivors.

“Alenko, see what you can do with that would you?” Alyss asked.

“Yes, ma’am.” He replied.

She was a little shaken up, but her façade exuded calm. A good soldier stayed cool under fire; meaning if she freaked out, her team would too, and she needed them both to keep their heads. Kaidan opened the lock with his omni-tool rather quickly, as she squared her shoulders, and walked up behind him to check his progress.

His breath hitched because of how close she was to him.

The door slid open, revealing a middle aged woman with close-cropped auburn hair and the uniform of an alliance researcher, wringing her hands together, and a disgruntled looking man with thinning light brown hair, about the same age. The woman looked tired and terrified, but as Alyss and company stepped through the door to the equipment shed, she visibly relaxed as she let out a sigh of relief.

“Humans! Thank the Maker!” She cried.

“Hurry! Close the door! Before they come back!” The male said his voice frantic.

Alyss held up a hand for silence. “Don’t worry. We’ll protect you.”

“Thank you. I think we’ll be okay now. It looks like everyone’s gone.” The woman told them, looking around.

Alyss heard some sounds outside, but none of them sounded close or threatening at present, and they’d destroyed the husks around the shed. A lot of soldiers had given up their lives to keep the colonists safe, and while the numbers sucked, Shepard was glad their sacrifice hadn’t been in vain; these two at least, had survived.

“You’re Dr. Warren, the one in charge of the excavation. Do you know what happened to the beacon?” Ashley asked; they did have a goal to accomplish.

“It was moved to the spaceport this morning. Manuel and I stayed behind to help pack up the camp. When the attack came, the marines held them off long enough for us to hide. They gave their lives to save us.”

Shepard closed her eyes.

“No one is saved!” The man she’d noticed earlier cried. “The age of humanity is ended! Soon, only ruin and corpses will remain!”

“What else can you tell me about the attack?” Alyss asked; unnerved at the way the man looked at her.

“It all happened so fast. One second we were gathering up our equipment. The next we were hiding in the shed while the Geth swarmed over the camp.” Dr. Warren explained.

“Agents of the destroyers. Bringers of darkness. Heralds of our extinction.” Manuel hissed.

Alyss’ heart went out to them. They’d had their world ripped apart in a matter of minutes, by a foe that hadn’t been seen in the galaxy for two hundred years. Everyone they knew from the colony could be dead, or worse…a husk. Manuel ran a shaking hand through his hair.

“We could hear the battle outside. Gunfire. Screams. I thought it would never end. Then everything went quiet. We just sat there, too afraid to move. Until you came along.”

Dr. Warren took a deep breath to steady herself—it had been a terrifying ordeal for civilians to have to go through, and if she could do something to ease their discomfort, Alyss would do everything in her power to help pull this dead paradise back together. No one deserved this.

“Did you notice a Turian in the area?” Alyss asked—the beacon was still the top priority and when they found the spaceport it had been moved to, they would find Nihlus.

“I saw him! The prophet. Leader of the enemy. He was here, before the attack.” Manuel interrupted before Dr. Warren could answer.

“That’s impossible.” Kaidan recalled; his voice even and calm. “Nihlus was with us on the Normandy before the attack. He couldn’t have been here.”

Alyss bit her lip; he was absolutely right, which meant that for some reason, there was another Turian on a human colony. That in itself was odd, but the fact that he was leading the Geth, destroying everything in their path begged another question: What the Hell was in that beacon? It was obviously more than a data cache.

“I’m sorry. Manuel’s still a bit…unsettled. We haven’t seen your Turian. We’ve been hiding in here since the attack.” Dr. Warren shook her head.

It was regrettable, but understandable, that they hadn’t peeked out a window.

“Can you tell me anything about the beacon?”

Warren rubbed the back of her neck. “It’s some type of data module from a galaxy-wide communications network. Remarkably well-preserved. It could be the greatest scientific discovery of our lifetime! Miraculous new technologies. Groundbreaking medical advances. Who knows what secrets are locked inside?”

“We have unearthed the heart of evil. Awakened the beast. Unleashed the darkness.” Manuel muttered.

Dr. Warren turned to him sharply. “Manuel! Please! This isn’t the time.”

“What’s wrong with your assistant?” Alyss couldn’t avoid that question any more.

“Manuel has a brilliant mind, but he’s always been a bit… unstable.” She wrung her hands together again. “Genius and madness are two sides of the same coin.”

“Is it madness to see the future? To see the destruction rushing towards us?’ Manuel rambled on, shuddering with fear as he did so. “To understand there is no escape, no hope? No. I am not mad. I’m the only sane one left.”

Dr. Warren shook her head. “I gave him an extra dose of his meds after the attack.”

Shepard understood, though it probably wasn’t the best idea. “Williams, take us to the spaceport.”

“You can’t stop it.” Manuel continued. “No one can stop it. Night is falling. The darkness of eternity."

“Hush, Manuel.” Dr. Warren ordered; her voice soft as the door slid closed behind Kaidan. “Go lie down. You’ll feel better once the medication kicks in.”


	12. Inside Saren

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So here we meet our big bad, Saren. I added some inner dialogue that you get as you go through the game, as an insight into the way he thinks, his inner workings, if you will--I wanted to add some insight and little details I thought he would do and think. Sadly we also lose someone else, Eden prime is nearing a close...apparently it's more than a couple chapters...my bad.

Saren Arterius paced back and forth, watching and waiting. The Geth were planting demolition charges on the other platform, around the beacon, but it was taking too long. He’d seen the Alliance ship touch down, and drop people off. He needed to get there first to discover the location of the Conduit, and blow this human drenched world to smithereens.

His brother had been killed by humans at Shanxi, and he’d never forgiven the rotten species. He was one of the first Spectres, but when he’d found that ship, he’d started committing galactic wide crimes, in the hopes of bringing the Reapers back.

Nihlus had gotten far ahead; he was supposed to be waiting for Shepard to catch up, but he’d been curious and kept going. What the Hell was taking her so long anyways? The mission parameters were clear: find and secure the beacon—nothing else mattered. He heard something and dove into cover, his shotgun at the ready.

He stood up slowly, ready to fire a shot into the head of whoever was pacing at the spaceport, but as the figure turned slightly, he lowered his gun. He relaxed.

“Saren?” Nihlus asked.

The tiny enhancements Saren had, allowed him to hear the footsteps, but not know who it was. Nihlus had been his friend before, but he didn’t need friends now—not with his rise to power so close. It was regrettable that it had come to this, but nothing was going to stop him. He turned around.

“Nihlus.”

“This isn’t your mission, Saren.” There was a hint of annoyance and confusion in his voice. “What are you doing here?”

Saren walked forward, and put his hand on Nihlus’ shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“The Council thought you could use some help on this one.” Saren told him, the lie coming to him immediately.

Nihlus turned and surveyed the area. There were husks impaled everywhere, and only smoking ruins remained of the once beautiful colony. Nihlus shook his head, unable to see the emotions flicking across Saren’s face as he stood behind his old friend, the two back to back, like old times—only this time Saren wasn’t protecting Nihlus’. He couldn’t decide how he wanted to handle the situation.

“I wasn’t expecting to find the Geth here.” Nihlus muttered. “The situation’s bad.”

“Don’t worry.” Saren said, turning to face his friend’s back and drawing his shotgun silently and single-handedly, pointing it at the back of Nihlus’ head. “I’ve got it under control.”

He squeezed the trigger.

Saren wasted no time high tailing it onto the train, and moving to the other platform. Nihlus’ second strike team must’ve been hot onto his trail. He stepped off the train, and approached the nearest Geth. He looked around to admire their handiwork for a second before he spoke.

“Set the charges. Destroy the entire colony. Leave no evidence that we were here.” He ordered.

The Geth tilted its head in acknowledgement, and Saren walked angrily over to the beacon and activated it. He felt himself being lifted into the air, but he’d been prepared for this, for a good long while. When he finished, he made his way to his ship, and took off, leaving the Geth behind to clean up.


	13. Smuggling Ring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second equipment shed Shepard and Co find, houses their second set of survivors who are hiding a terrible secret. There's a little time cross between the beginning of this chapter, and the end of the last one--a backtrack but only by like five minutes. They find that maybe something could have been done to maybe help Ashley's squad survive, and they're all disgusted by the smugglers.

Alyss heard the shot, from where she and her team were, on the ridge just above the spaceport. She knew the sound very well, but so far that was the only single shot fired—the Geth and her squad fired multiple times—something was wrong. They rounded the corner, and paused...there it was; the insect-like ship she’d seen in the distress vid. It was slowly rising up, like its purpose here was complete…were they too late?

“What is that?” Kaidan asked.

“It’s a ship!” Williams cried, awed. “Look at the size of it!”

It was rising faster than something of its size should have been able to, red smoke trailing off of it. It most definitely looked like some kind of vehicle…but it was huge; was ship really the right word for it? A shot exploded against her barrier, and she looked down, pulling her attention from the ascending ship. Geth and husks were swarming over the spaceport, and making their way towards her squad.

One of the husks grabbed Kaidan—Alyss hadn’t even seen it appear, her pistol trained on the Geth. Not him! Alyss fired shot after shot into the husk and she swore under her breath when her pistol overheated…she ran up to the husk and bashed it in the back of the head with the butt of her gun. Normally she was very careful to watch the heat meter on her weapons…she was getting sloppy, and almost lost Kaidan because of it.

When the last Geth fell, Shepard let out a sigh of relief, and she and Williams walked over to Kaidan to check him for injuries. Neither of them had seen the husk coming for some reason, and both wanted to make sure the lieutenant was okay. He holstered his pistol as he brushed himself off.

“You all right, Alenko?” Shepard asked.

Kaidan nodded slowly. “Yeah I think so. Thanks for the save, Commander.”

His smile made her heart palpitate.

“Any time, Lieutenant.” She said, absently staring past him.

She could see the red glare of a security lock engaged on another storage shed. Thank God, there were more survivors. She made her way carefully to the shed, and motioned to it wordlessly. Kaidan nodded, and his arm glowed orange. He typed on his omni-tool furiously for a moment, and there was an acknowledging beep from the door. It slid open.

“Everybody stay calm out there. We’re coming out. We’re not armed.” A male voice warned from the back of the shed.

Two men, one with dark brown hair and a goatee, one cleanly shaven, and a woman in a beanie stepped out of the shed, hands raised in the air. A gesture of surrender. Her team holstered their guns, seeing no sign of the Geth at the moment—as well as trying not to scare the colonists any more than they had to.

“Is it safe? Are they gone?” The woman asked, looking around frantically.

“You’re okay now. Nobody’s going to hurt you.” Alyss promised.

“Those things were crawling all around the shed. They would’ve found us for sure. We owe you our lives.” The clean shaven man sighed with relief, as he rubbed the back of his neck and the other man wiped the sweat from his brow.

“I—I still can’t believe it. When we saw that ship I thought it was all over.” The woman admitted, holding her head.

“It showed up right before the attack. Knew it was trouble the second I saw it; so we made a break for the sheds.” The clean shaven man said.

“Tell me everything you remember about the attack.” Alyss told him.

He wrung his hands together. “The three of us were working the crops when that ship showed up. We just saw it and ran. I don’t know what happened to the rest of the crew.”

The bearded man pointed. “They were over by the garage; over near the spaceport. Right where that ship came down…no way they survived.”

“You don’t know that! We survived. If they made it to the garage, they could’ve had a fighting chance!” The woman cried, shaking her head.

Alyss nodded, taking it all in. “Do you know anything about the Prothean beacon they dug up?”

The clean shaven man scratched his head. “We’re just farmers. We heard they found something out there, but it never really mattered to us. Not until now.”

“What else can you tell me about the ship you saw?” Shepard asked.

He rubbed the back of his neck again. “I was too busy running to get a clear look at it. I think it landed over near the spaceport.”

“Tell them about the noise, Cole. That awful noise.” The woman encouraged.

“It was emitting some kind of signal as it descended; sounded like the shriek of the damned. Only it was coming from inside your own head.” Cole continued.

“It was probably trying to block communications.” Ashley muttered.

Alyss dipped her head in thought; sounded like a jamming signal…only a bit different. There was no need to worry them; she’d never heard of a jamming signal sounding like that and coming from someone’s own head, but they would probably never have to deal with it again after that day.

“Whatever it was, felt like it was tearing right through my skull…almost made it impossible to think.”

“I have to go.” Alyss began to turn away.

“Hey, Cole…we’re just a bunch of farmers. These guys are soldiers; maybe we should give them the stuff.” The bearded man suggested.

Kaidan, Alyss and Ashley turned back, curious.

Cole rounded on his friend. “Geez, Blake. You gotta learn when to shut up!”

“You have something to tell me, Cole?” She pointed, intimidatingly at him.

He held up his hands in surrender. He didn’t want any trouble with the three very well armed people in front of him. Blake shrugged sheepishly behind Cole, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment—he hadn’t meant for a confrontation.

“Some guys at the spaceport were running a small smuggling ring. Nothing major. In exchange for a cut of the profits, we let them store packages in our sheds.” Cole admitted.

Shepard shook her head in disgust; smuggling was a crime…not as serious as genocide or murder, but still a crime. The things people did just to make a tidy little profit sometimes amazed her.

“You’re breaking the law, Cole.”

“We’re not hurting anybody! Hell, most of the time, I don’t even know what’s in the packages. I just thought there might be something we could use.” Cole cried, defensively. “I found a pistol. Figured it would come in handy if those things came back. But you’ll probably get more use out of it than we will.”

“We’re risking our lives to save this colony. You sure there’s nothing else in here that could help us out?” Alyss inquired.

Cole nodded slowly and reluctantly. “Yeah, there’s one more thing. I was going to sell it after this was over. But you probably deserve it more than I do.”

“Who’s your contact at the spaceport, Cole? What’s his name?” Williams asked, as Cole handed Shepard some armoring upgrades and the pistol.

Jenkins and the whole of Ashley’s squad could have used those upgrades.

“He’s not a bad guy; I don’t want to get him in trouble. Besides, I’m not a snitch!

“He might have something to do with this whole attack, Cole. We need his name. It’s important.’ Alyss assured him, keeping her voice level.

“Yeah, okay. You’re right. His name’s Powell; Works the docks at the spaceport…if he’s still alive.” Cole sighed, resignedly.

Shepard reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, get to safety…we cleared the way back, and there are a couple other survivors near the dig site. See if you can find them, and stay bunkered down until someone sends out an ‘all clear’ okay?”

The three farmers nodded silently.

“Good luck.” Cole whispered.

Shepard motioned to her squad to move out, and refreshed her barrier as she pulled out her shotgun. They made their way down the steep terrain, and walked up a set of steps. There was an all too familiar body lying at the top on the spaceport platform. Kaidan inhaled sharply as they approached it.

“Commander, its Nihlus.” He confirmed.


	14. Final Push

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They meet the contact of the smuggling ring who happens to be an eye witness of what went down between Nihlus and Saren, before Saren shot him in the back of the head, and carried the beacon off to the other platform. Hopefully Nihlus' death wont jeopardize Shepard's spectre candidacy, but they realize they're not to late to save the colony from total and complete annihiliation.

There was a noise.

“Something’s moving! Over behind those crates!” Ashley pointed out.

The three of them raised their guns, pointing towards the source of the noise. Someone screamed briefly and a man in a black beanie stood up, hands up in a placated surrender. Alyss immediately lowered her gun; it was another survivor, and she didn’t plan on shooting him, no matter how much he’d startled the three of them. Hopefully he’d seen exactly what had transpired that had ended up with Nihlus lying dead on the ground, a single gunshot to the back of the head…that had been the single shot, she knew now.

“Wait! Don’t—don’t shoot! I’m one of you! I’m human.” The man cried.

“Sneaking up on us like that nearly got you killed!” Alyss didn’t sugar-coat it.

The man shifted his weight to his other foot. “I…I’m sorry. I was hiding from those creatures. My name’s Powell. I saw what happened to that Turian. The other one shot him.”

“I need to know how Nihlus died.” Shepard stated, calmly.

“The other one got here first. He was waiting when your friend showed up. He called him Saren…I think they knew each other. Your friend seemed to relax. He let his guard down…and Saren killed him. Shot him right in the back. I’m just lucky he didn’t see me behind the crates.” Powell explained.

The loss of Nihlus was regrettable. How was she supposed to explain to the Council that the Spectre they’d sent to evaluate her was killed while she was nowhere around, because she’d been trying to locate survivors…as well as taking on Husks and Geth around every corner? Hell she’d liked Nihlus—but like Jenkins, there would be time to mourn later. Right now they needed to find to beacon, seeing as it was nowhere around the spaceport.

“We were told a Prothean beacon was being brought to the spaceport. What happened to it?”

“It’s over on the other platform, probably where that guy Saren was headed. He hopped on the cargo train right after he killed your friend.” He leaned on the crate in front of him. 

“I knew that beacon was trouble. Everything’s gone to hell since we found it. First, that damn mother ship showed up…then the attack. They killed everyone. Everyone! If I hadn’t been behind the crates, I’d be dead, too!”

“How come you’re the only one that survived?” Shepard asked—something didn’t add up. “Why didn’t anyone else try to hide behind the crates?”

The color drained from Powell’s face.

“They never had a chance.” He admitted. “I… I was already behind the crates when the attack started.”

“Wait a minute.” Alenko said. “You were hiding behind the crates before the attack?”

Powell bit his lip nervously. “I… sometimes I need a nap to get through my shift. I sneak off behind the crates to grab forty winks where the supervisor can’t find me.”

“You survived because you’re lazy?” Ashley spat angrily.

“If you hadn’t snuck off for that nap, you’d probably be dead just like all the others.” It wasn’t a pleasant fact of life, but sometimes the worst intentions had the best result.

Powell nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess. I don’t really want to think about it.”

Alyss had avoided the issue long enough. “You’re Cole’s contact here on the docks; for the smuggling ring.”

Powell used the crates to push himself up into a fully standing position, his eyes darting around wildly—probably trying to figure out why Cole had given up his name. She knew he was going to try to lie; she could see it in his body language and crossed her arms over her chest and set her mouth in a thin line. She hoped they could do this the easy way.

“What? No!” He stared at her for a moment, and threw his hands up in defeat. “I mean…what does it matter now? So I’m a smuggler. Who cares? My supervisor’s dead. The entire crew’s dead. It doesn’t matter now, does it?”

“Anything hidden nearby that we could use against the Geth?”

He nodded. “A shipment of grenades came through last week. Nobody notices if a few small pieces go missing from the military orders.”

Ashley glared at him and shook her head in disgust. “You greedy son of a bitch! We’re out here trying to protect your sorry ass and all you can think about is how you can rip us off?!?”

Shepard closed her eyes in silent horror—how many of the marines had died unnecessarily because they didn’t have grenades or proper armor upgrades? What the Hell was wrong here? They’d done nothing but sacrifice themselves for the colonists, and it didn’t seem like they cared if the soldiers lived or died. She was fuming with anger, just under the surface.

“I never thought you’d actually need those grenades! Who’d want to attack Eden Prime? We’re just a bunch of farmers! How was I supposed to know?” Powell cried.

Williams advanced menacingly, but Alyss held out her hand to stop her.

“Forget about him. He’s not worth it.” She urged.

“You’re lucky the commander’s here, Powell. Hand over those grenades.” Williams ordered.

“They’re yours. Take them. My smuggling days are over. I swear.” Powell capitulated, reaching down to pick up a bunch of grenades and handing them over.

“A lot of marines died here, Powell. Those grenades could have come in handy. If I were you, I’d think of some way I could make it up to them.” Shepard added.

He hung his head in shame. “Yeah, okay. There is something else I was saving; could be worth a fortune…experimental technology—top of the line. Take it. I don’t need it. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. Really, I’m sorry.”

That wasn’t what Alyss had meant at all, but he really didn’t deserve anything. She reached out and took the weapon upgrade he was offering. She glared silently for a moment at the things in her hands—things that could have saved dozens of lives if they’d been in the right hands. But instead some greedy colonists had taken them to try to make some extra money.

“Tell me about the Geth attack.” Alyss barked; she was absolutely sick of this place.

“It was quick. One minute, that ship was descending. The next, those Geth were swarming over the platform, thousands of them. They must have been inside that mother ship. They shot anything that moved. It was a massacre.”

“Is there anything else you can tell me about the beacon?”

“They brought it here this morning. We loaded it up onto the train and shipped it to the other platform.” Powell shook his head in disbelief. “Hard to believe that was only a few hours ago. Feels like a whole other life.”

No one had been able to tell her much about the vessel that had brought the Geth—they called it a mother ship, and knew it emitted a horrible signal, but nothing else. No one could tell her where it had come from, or how a Spectre had come into its possession. Hopefully someone somewhere could explain the details to her…eventually.

“Tell me about this ‘mother ship’ you saw.” She prompted.

“I’ve never seen anything like it before. It—it was huge. Landed over near that platform…the whole place got dark as it came down. And—and it was making this noise, this—sound that bored right into your brain. That’s what woke me up. The attack came a few minutes later.”

“We need to find that beacon before it’s too late.” Alyss muttered.

She motioned for her squad to move out…she’d follow in a moment.

“Take the cargo train. That’s where the other Turian went.” At least he was trying to be helpful now. “I… I can’t stay here. I need to get away from all this."

He turned to walk away and waved absently over his shoulder without turning around. Shepard couldn’t say she was unhappy to see him go—the sooner they got off this planet, the better she’d feel. So they needed to finish the mission—fast. She followed her squad and they ran into a few more Geth, dispatching them easily, before loading themselves onto the tram.

Alyss activated the train controls.


	15. The Beacon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While making their way to the beacon, our intrepid explorers find that Saren was ready to blow the whole colony of Eden Prime to smithereens, but luckily they were almost right on his tail, and they're able to save the day. They finally reach the beacon, and after a little bit of Shenko, they call the Normandy for a pickup. The beacon activates and after depositing it's knowledge and images into Shepard's head explodes. She goes out cold.

As the tram approached the spaceport platform, four warning blips appeared on Shepard’s heads-up display. Baradium…Alyss knew enough about explosives to know that the ones just off the train were rather large. She located the source of one blip before stepping off and realized that Kaidan saw it too, as they both made a beeline for it.

“Demolition charges! The Geth must have planted them!” He had to yell to be heard over the sound of the tram.

“Hurry—we need to find them all and shut them down!” Ashley replied.

“Split up! Alenko you take the two closest to us, and I’ll take the two farthest ones. Williams keep the Geth off us.” Alyss ordered, pulling her shotgun off her back.

“Aye, Aye ma’am!” The two said in unison.

Any Geth She encountered on her way to the two far bombs, Alyss shot with her shotgun. She knelt down by the first bomb, and rewired it as fast as she could, without compromising safety. Better to rewire it to do no harm, than just disarm in case someone tried to activate it later, before the Alliance could clean up.

A sniper rifle bullet zoomed past her into the head of an approaching Geth. Williams definitely had her back. She looked back and gave her a quick nod, and saw Kaidan typing furiously on his omni tool. When the last Geth fell, and the final bomb flickered off, Alyss sat back on her haunches for a second and sighed in relief. The colony was saved.

Those last five minutes had gone by in a blur.

“Let’s go!” She called, as she stood up.

Williams and Alenko appeared behind her, both with weapons ready. She nodded to them and the trio headed down a ramp only to encounter two husks and a couple more Geth. She could see the beacon—it was so close now. A biotic charge and her shotgun were all she needed to take down the husks, as Alenko and Williams tag-teamed on the Geth.

The beacon loomed ahead of her. She approached it carefully: a gleaming metal structure that ended abruptly in a jagged edge about twelve feet above the ground. It was surrounded by a pulsing green aura, and a small thin green beam was shooting out the top.

She walked over to the railing and looked out over the destruction rained down on the planet in less than an hour. Ashley and Kaidan joined her and leaned over the railing. It was god-awful what the Geth had done to this once-beautiful planet…that damned beacon had better have been worth all the mayhem it caused. Smoke rose from the charred and cracked red ground.

“My God. It’s like someone dropped a bomb.” Ashley hissed.

“That must be where the Geth ship landed.” Kaidan surmised.

Shepard tapped her communicator, turning away from the artifact and the destruction. “Normandy, the beacon is secure. Request immediate evac.”

“Roger that, Commander. Normandy en route for pickup.” Joker replied over her helmet radio.

“This is amazing. Actual working Prothean technology. Unbelievable!” Kaidan said, staring at the beacon in awe.

Ashley stood next to Kaidan, as Alyss continued on her headset radio.

“It wasn’t doing anything like that when they dug it up.” She turned and walked away, waiting for Shepard to have a moment to talk.

“Something must have activated it.” Kaidan muttered.

“Roger, Normandy. Standing by.” Shepard replied.

She turned around again to find Ashley facing her, as Kaidan continued staring at the beam, Williams’ mouth opened to talk to the woman who saved her life. Kaidan took a step forward, inexplicably drawn to the beacon. The aura seemed to reach out and grab him, pulling him towards the beam. Kaidan tried to break free, but he had nothing to grab onto to stop himself from being dragged forward.

“Commander, I—” Ashley began her back to the situation.

If she could have stayed to listen she would have, but she ran past Ashley, bumping her shoulder accidentally as she did so, and sprinted to Kaidan’s side. He was holding his head in pain. Her arms closed around him, and though it felt nice, she didn’t have time to dwell on it as she looked around frantically, feeling the beacon pulling at her too.

All she could do was throw Kaidan off to the side.

“Shepard!” Kaidan cried, trying to get to her, but Ashley held him back.

“No! Don’t touch her! It’s too dangerous!” Ashley told him, pulling him to his feet.

They could only watch in horror.

Shepard’s head was on fire, and she grabbed it briefly, before the beacon got a hold of her, lifting her off the ground. She heard Kaidan call out her name, but couldn’t move or do anything to assure him she was all right. Her back arched of its own accord. Nothing she’d ever done had prepared her for the pain, the screams, and the images that flashed before her eyes. They were fragmented, and out of order, and she couldn’t place what exactly she was seeing.

When the beacon released her by exploding, she hit the ground hard, and Kaidan broke free of Ashley’s grip, running over to her. He gently turned her over and cradled her head in his lap; she was breathing at least—that was always a good sign. What had he done? Had he destroyed that beautiful, fiery, and independent woman with his curiosity? If anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.


	16. Villanous Intent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little more insight into Saren's head, as well as a little bit of Matriarch Benezia before she fully succumbed to Sovereign's indoctrination. Saren is surprised that the geth did not succeed in wiping the pathetic human colony from history, and after finding out that a human may have used the beacon, he throws a temper tantrum.

Saren sat in the dark, alone. His fingertips were steepled flat against one another, his hands in front of his mouth which was set in a thin line. Sovereign pulled away from Eden Prime faster than a normal ship should have been able, but he knew the Geth had failed to demolish Eden Prime.

There was the metallic click of heels on metal, and he knew she approached. The beacon on Eden Prime had been a major victory, which had brought them closer to finding the conduit, and one step closer to the return of the reapers. As long as he continued to do good work like this, Sovereign, would continue to find him useful.

Failure was not an option.

Benezia cleared her throat, and placed her arms behind her back—standing at full attention. “We identified the ship that touched down on Eden Prime. The Normandy. A human Alliance vessel. It was under the command of Captain Anderson. They managed to save the colony.”

Anderson…he should have known.

Saren put one hand over his face, deep in thought. Humans…why did they have to be everywhere? Was it not enough that they had killed his brother at Shanxi? This was why he was working with the Reapers—the humans would never submit to Reaper rule, and they’d be wiped out when the Reapers came to town. A fitting end.

“And the beacon?” Saren asked.

“One of the humans may have used it.” Benezia continued.

Saren jumped up. This kind of slip up was not to be tolerated. He couldn’t have someone…a human someone…dogging his steps trying to foil him. He would bring the Reapers back, and this human was only going to get in the way. He growled in anger, as he stomped about and threw a few things, Benezia barely shifted to avoid being hit. His tirade ended only when he grabbed Matriarch Benezia’s face—she still exuded calm.

“This human must be eliminated.” Saren hissed, as he took a deep breath to calm himself.

He released her face, and took a step back. She’d sat through the whole thing completely unfazed…which is why he needed someone like her in his corner…for now. Everyone was expendable.


	17. A Little Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After causing the beacon to explode and being knocked unconscious, Shepard is carried back to the ship by Kaidan, who remains at her side the full 15 hours that she is unconscious. He blames himself for what happened to her. When she wakes up, Anderson wants her report but after hearing that Saren was involved he becomes tense but refuses to tell her why.

Kaidan hadn’t moved from Shepard’s side since he’d carried her onto the Normandy. He was exhausted, but he needed to know that she was all right…without thinking he reached out to take her hand, but realized what he was doing and quickly took it back. Shepard’s eyes fluttered opened and she groaned. She was on a bed in the med bay, lying on her back.

Kaidan was at her side instantly.

“Doctor?” Alenko called. “Doctor Chakwas? I think she’s waking up.”

She could definitely get used to hearing Kaidan’s voice first thing when she woke up.

Alyss swung her legs over the side of the bed and finally sat, up but she felt light-headed and put her face in her palm. She didn’t remember returning to the Normandy, and must’ve been out cold. She shook her head slightly, and rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand, trying to wake up. Dr. Chakwas strode over to her.

“You had us worried there, Shepard.” Dr. Chakwas stated, as she stood next to the bed, as Kaidan took a couple steps back and crossed his arms over his chest. “How are you feeling?”

Shepard pinched the bridge of her nose. “Minor throbbing. Nothing serious. How long was I out?”

“About fifteen hours. Something happened down there with the beacon, I think.” Chakwas continued.

“It’s my fault.” Kaidan said from behind her. “I must have triggered some kind of security field when I approached it. You had to push me out of the way.”

That was not how Alyss had wanted to end up with her arms around Kaidan Alenko, that was for damned certain—she would have preferred something of a more…intimate nature. She even vaguely remembered him holding her close to him—though that could have been her imagination playing tricks on her while she was sleeping.

“You had no way to know what would happen.” She reassured him.

Kaidan smiled slightly, and Alyss caught it out of the corner of her eye. Her heartbeat quickened.

“Actually, we don’t even know if that’s what set it off.” Dr. Chakwas had ruined that private moment. “Unfortunately, we’ll never get the chance to find out.”

Alenko walked forward and stood in front of Shepard. She forced herself to look at and focus on his face, not his muscles or the way he filled out his uniform in all the right ways, and she also refrained from allowing her brain to memorize his features—how the Hell was she supposed to focus with a subordinate like him around? She was pretty sure this went beyond mere lust…she’d never been this way around any other good looking guy—under her command or not. Chakwas’ words sunk in and she raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow in confusion.

“The beacon exploded.” Kaidan explained. “System overload, maybe. The blast knocked you cold, and I had to carry you back here to the ship.”

It hadn’t been her imagination after all. He’d held her, and she’d been unconscious and had no idea. Curse that beacon—she’d probably never know what it felt like for the lieutenant to have his arms around her; he was her subordinate, and she was his commanding officer. She sighed.

“I appreciate it.” She told him and he nodded.

He would never admit that when he was holding her, it felt like she belonged in his arms.

“Physically, you’re fine. But I detected some unusual brain activity, abnormal beta waves.” Chakwas continued, crossing her arms over her chest. “I also noticed an increase in your rapid eye movement. Those are signs typically associated with intense dreaming.”

Intense dreaming indeed—more like a vision.

“I saw—I’m not sure what I saw.” Alyss shook her head slowly. “Death. Destruction. Nothing’s really clear.”

Dr. Chakwas nodded. “Hmmm. I better add this to my report. It may—oh, Captain Anderson.”

Alyss hopped down off the bed immediately, her arm brushing lightly against Kaidan’s. She crossed her arms over her chest briefly as she leaned against the bio bed for a moment, but thought better of it and dropped her hands to her sides. She stood up straight, as the captain approached her. He nodded to Alenko and looked directly at the good doctor. He wanted to make sure his protégé was fit for duty before he tried to piece together what had happened down at the spaceport. Things did not look good.

“How’s our XO holding up, Doctor?” He asked.

“All the readings look normal.” Doctor Chakwas assured him. “I’d say the commander’s going to be fine.”

“Glad to hear it.” He turned to face Alyss. “Shepard, I need to speak with you—in private.”

Alenko took the hint and saluted. “Aye, aye, Captain. I’ll be in the mess if you need me.”

With one last look at Alyss who smiled at him slightly, and nodded to him—she was trying to reassure him that she was fine, and none of this was his fault, with that single look. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards and he and Chakwas fell in step as they left the room. Captain Anderson waited briefly to make sure they were out of earshot before continuing.

“Sounds like that beacon hit you pretty hard, Commander. You sure you’re okay?”

Shepard shrugged. No, she wasn’t—she couldn’t get those images out of her head. It was almost like they were meant to be something more than a dream—something with a bigger purpose in the grander scheme of things. But that wasn’t what he’d asked. Her mind flashed to standing over Jenkins’ body as she and the lieutenant fought his killers…she’d promised a proper burial.

“Intel dropped the ball, sir. We had no idea what we were walking into down there. That’s why things went to Hell.” Alyss pointed out, pissed off beyond belief as the memory resurfaced.

“Shepard, Geth haven’t been seen outside the veil in two centuries, Commander. Nobody could have predicted this.” He replied.

Anderson had remained calm in the face of her anger, and she backed down, sighing. She wasn’t mad at Nihlus, God rest his soul; she wasn’t mad at Anderson or the marine units on the surface; and she wasn’t even really mad that she’d walked her squad in blind…she just wished she hadn’t lost anyone. That was really what it all boiled down to. Jenkins had died on her watch.

“I don’t like soldiers dying under my command.” She admitted.

Anderson reached out, and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Jenkins wasn’t your fault; you did a good job, Shepard.”

Shepard wasn’t convinced, but nodded grimly; her brain was still fuzzy but she had a few concerns to lay to rest. “What about Gunnery Chief Williams? Did we leave her back on Eden Prime?”

He shook his head. “I figured we could use a soldier like her. She’s been reassigned to the Normandy.”

She wasn’t expecting that, exactly. Her transfer had been quick and painless, but that was because of the Blitz and her Spectre candidacy. However, Alyss wholeheartedly approved. Williams had been crucial to the mission down on Eden Prime, and a permanent place on the Normandy was where she belonged. She’d earned it.

“Williams is a good soldier. She deserves it.”

The captain chuckled. “Lieutenant Alenko agrees with you. That’s why I added her to our crew.”

“You said you needed to see me in private, Captain?”

Anderson clasped his hands behind his back, grimacing. “I won’t lie to you, Shepard. Things look bad. Nihlus is dead. The beacon was destroyed and Geth are invading. The Council’s going to want answers.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong, Captain.” Alyss stated; she certainly hadn’t taken any actions that she thought would harm the beacon. “Hopefully, the Council will be able to see that.”

It wasn’t entirely true, but the loss of her crew member wouldn’t be important to the Council. Sure soldiers died, and they knew the risks when signing up, but not a one really thought about death until they were faced with it. She didn’t see how she could have prevented his death…it was just bad timing, bad luck, and no biotic barriers protecting him.

The Captain turned away and started pacing. “I’ll stand behind you and your report, Shepard. You’re a damned hero in my books. That’s not why I’m here. It’s Saren, that other Turian. Saren’s a Spectre, one of the best; a living legend. But if he’s working with the Geth, it means he’s gone rogue. A rogue Spectre’s trouble. Saren’s dangerous. And he hates humans.”

She sensed something personal in his tone, along with a smidgen of fear.

“Why?”

He stopped pacing and looked at her hard. “He thinks we’re growing too fast, taking over the galaxy. A lot of aliens think that way…most of them don’t do anything about it.” Alyss knew there was probably more to the story that even Anderson didn’t know but she kept her mouth shut, and let him continue. “Saren has allied himself with the Geth. I don’t know how. I don’t know why. But it had something to do with that beacon. You were there just before the beacon self-destructed. Did you see anything? Any clue that might tell us what Saren was after?”

Shepard bit her lip. It wasn’t conclusive proof of anything…what she needed was hard evidence if they were going to do anything about this rogue Spectre…she knew enough to know the Council wouldn’t accept less, if Saren really was their top agent. She leaned back against the medical bed, arms crossed once more.

“Just before I lost consciousness, I had some kind of vision.”

“A vision? A vision of what?” Anderson asked, with a sense of urgency…it looked like he was about to start pacing again.

At least he wasn’t calling her crazy.

“I saw synthetics—Geth, maybe—slaughtering people. Butchering them.” Alyss shrugged slightly.

She knew it was more than a dream or a nightmare…no images she’d ever seen in her sleep before had been so disjointed and vivid; it was almost as if she could feel, smell, and taste everything, instead of just seeing and hearing them. The things didn’t look like any organics she’d ever seen and something was off about the synthetics. But she had a feeling.

“We need to report this to the Council, Shepard.” Anderson stressed.

Alyss snorted in derision. “What are we going to tell them? I had a bad dream?”

That wasn’t going to fly for anybody.

“We don’t know what information was stored in that beacon. Lost Prothean technology? Blueprints for some ancient weapon of mass destruction? Whatever it was, Saren took it.” 

He wrung his hands together as he took a step forward, towards her. “But, I know Saren. I know his reputation, his politics. He believes humans are a blight on the galaxy. This attack was an act of war! He has the secrets from the beacon, he has an army of Geth at his command, and he won’t stop until he’s wiped humanity from the face of the galaxy!”

And there it was; confirmation of what she’d figured out from his earlier tone: Captain Anderson and Saren had a history. One so horrible, it seemed, that he’d decided they should tell the Council about her dream, without some substantial proof backing it up, despite his better judgment. Alyss gritted her teeth.

“I’ll find some way to take him down.” Her tone was a lot more confident than she felt.

Anderson shook his head. “It’s not that easy. He’s a Spectre. He can go anywhere, do almost anything. That’s why we need the Council on our side.”

She fully understood what he was getting at. “We prove Saren’s gone rogue and the Council will revoke his Spectre status.”

“I’ll contact the ambassador and see if he can get us an audience with the Council. He’ll want to see us as soon as we reach Citadel. We’ll be there shortly, and when we get there, head up to the bridge and tell Joker to bring us in to dock.” He ordered.

“Understood, Sir.”

Alyss smiled and inclined her head in his direction, and he turned heel and left her alone in the med bay. Since she had some time, she decided to go talk to Williams and see how she was settling in, and maybe have a chat with Kaidan while she was at it. The latter was a disastrous idea, but she welcomed the distraction.


	18. Commiseration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard had to type up her full report, and then after a brief conversation with Ashley and Kaidan about Jenkins, and learning more about Dr. Chakwas, the Normandy goes to dock with the Citadel. The conversations with Ashley and Kaidan I combined into one large conglommeration, and had to rearrange so that it flowed better. She definitely doesn't mind stalling when it comes to talking and/or commiserating with her crew over Jenkins' death.

Shepard walked out of the medical bay after the captain, stopping to use the laptop by the door and type up her report. When she finished and saved it, she stretched as she stood up; she hated the paper pushing part of her job. She made her way to the medi-gel storage and grabbed a couple of extras to add to her gear in her locker when she got out to it—it was just outside.

Dr. Chakwas was lounging against the wall by Alyss’ locker. They hadn’t had much of a chance to talk before the mission, because Jenkins was too busy prattling on about Spectres. She nodded at the doctor before she opened her locker.

“Yes, Commander, is there something you need?” Dr. Chakwas asked.

“How did you end up serving on an Alliance ship?” Alyss inquired, stowing the medi-gel next to her shotgun.

Her gear, was neatly placed inside; biotic amplifier, pistol, assault rifle, shotgun, sniper rifle, and grenades. They were all there. She looked down at her attire, actually realizing for the first time that her armor wasn’t on her—Alenko must’ve had a Hell of a time getting her out of it. She grinned impishly.

“I enlisted right out of med school. Earth always seemed boring to me…too safe, too secure. I figured the colonies were teeming with exotic adventure. I wanted to travel the stars, tending the wounds of tough soldiers with piercing eyes and sensitive souls. Turns out military life isn’t quite as romantic as I’d imagined.” Dr. Chakwas snorted.

Alyss giggled. “Tell me about it.”

Though there was one soldier with piercing brown eyes and a sensitive soul, she wouldn’t mind getting to know better…

“But humanity needs the Alliance if we want to keep expanding through the Traverse, and the Alliance always needs good doctors. So I stayed on to do my part.”

Shepard closed her locker, and leaned against it, arms crossed over her chest. “Ever think you made the wrong choice?”

Karin shrugged. “Sometimes I think about opening a private practice on Earth, or maybe taking a position at one of the new med centers out in the colonies. But there’s something special about working on soldiers. If I left the Alliance now, I’d feel like I was abandoning them.”

Alyss nodded in understanding. “What do you know about Captain Anderson?”

“I’ve served with him for a few tours now. He knows when to let things slide and when to crack the whip. The crew knows he’s seen pretty much anything they’ll ever run into. And he cares about the people under his command. You bring out the best in him, though, Shepard.” Dr. Chakwas continued.

“How well do you know the lieutenant?” Alyss was phishing, and she wasn’t even going to hide it—she was very attracted to Kaidan Alenko, and anything she could learn would be beneficial.

“I’d never worked with him before this mission. But he has an impressive service record; over a dozen special commendations. Tends to keep to himself, though. Maybe because of the headaches…it’s not easy being an L2.”

He talked to Alyss readily enough—though she was a fellow biotic…

“What does that have to do with it?” She cocked her head to one side.

“Well, most biotics now use the L3 implants—like you, Commander. Lt. Alenko was wired with the old L2 configuration. Sometimes there are complications.”

Shepard knew about his migraines—they’d had a nice conversation about their biotics, before she’d bungled the whole thing by taking his hand, that first night. Had he been holding out on her? Was there some deep dark consequence of his implant that he didn’t want to share with her because she couldn’t relate?

“What kind of complications?”

“Severe mental disabilities, insanity, crippling physical pain; there’s a long list of horrific side effects. Kaidan’s lucky. He just gets migraines.” Dr. Chakwas finished.

Alyss envied that the doctor got to use his first name, while she had to skirt around it, calling him Alenko or Lieutenant. If she could, she’d use his first name all the time—she did in her head, but never out loud—it would be inappropriate conduct. Though conduct she’d most likely condone if she knew he felt the same.

“I should go see how Williams is settling in.” Alyss admitted.

Karin nodded. “Goodbye, Commander.

Kaidan and Ashley we’re both together in the mess, sitting at the large table, gloomy looks on both their faces. Shaking her head after depositing the medi-gel packs in her locker, Alyss walked up to them and hopped up onto the edge of the table, next to Alenko and across from Williams. She never sat in chairs if she could help it…besides someone needed to lighten the mood, might as well be her.

“Commander, I’m glad you’re going to be okay…losing Jenkins was hard enough on the crew, and I’m glad we didn’t lose you too.” Kaidan admitted, coyly.

“It’ll take more than that to knock me out of action.” Alyss stated.

Like a long walk on the beach, with a certain biotic…

“I’ll bet, Commander.” Ashley laughed.

The three of them lapsed into a comfortable silence, for a couple minutes. Kaidan’s head was swimming with the smell of Shepard’s coconut hair products—she was so close to him, and Ashley couldn’t believe she was on the Normandy of all places after her crap assignments. Alyss picked at a small piece of lint on the leg of her pants, but couldn’t take the silence for much longer than that.

“Things were pretty rough down there.” She said, suddenly.

“Yeah.” Kaidan shrugged. “You never get used to seeing dead civilians; doesn’t seem right. At least Saren didn’t manage to wipe out the colony.”

Ashley nodded sadly. “I’ve seen friends die before. Comes with being a marine, but to see my whole unit wiped out and what the Geth did to those poor colonists...but things would have been a whole lot worse if you hadn’t shown up.”

Shepard smiled. “I couldn’t have done it without you two.”

“We’re marines. We stick together. I’m just sorry we lost Jenkins.” Alenko mumbled.

“Yeah…I wish I could’ve done something to save him.” Alyss muttered, remembering that horrible moment.

“Part of me feels guilty.” Ashley told them. “If Jenkins was still alive, I might not be here.”

Shepard turned her top half to get a good hard look at Ashley. Did she really believe that? Even if Jenkins had survived, after what they’d all been through on Eden Prime, she would’ve personally requested the woman’s transfer, if it had come to that. She frowned, and wrinkled up her nose in thought.

“Jenkins was a valuable part of this crew, and he’ll be sorely missed. But you’re a good soldier, Williams. You belong on the Normandy.” She said; her voice soft but firm.

“Thanks Commander, I appreciate that. I have to admit; I was a little nervous about being assigned to the Normandy. It’s nice when someone makes you feel welcome.” Ashley smiled, slightly.

Alyss winked. “I think you’re going to fit in here just fine, Williams.”

“Commander, you know Jenkins wasn’t your fault—I was there. You did everything right. It was just bad luck.” Kaidan reassured her.

He was trying very hard to refrain from touching her hand in comfort—even though his brain demanded that he do so. Instead, Kaidan put his hands in his lap, and looked up at her. Oh, what she wouldn’t give to place her hand over Kaidan’s and give it a gentle ‘thank you’ squeeze—but that was obviously not appropriate conduct for his commanding officer to display, plus he’d put his hands in his lap, out of her reach. He was doing a very good job, making her feel better—there really hadn’t been a way she could have saved Richard, and she knew it, but she still blamed herself for not preparing better for it.

“Thank you, Alenko.”

She ran a hand through her hair, disturbing the nice neat ponytail she had pulled her hair into, and decided to just let it down for now. Technically they were still on duty, and she should remain professional, but they still had some time to kill before docking with the Citadel, and so with a flick of her wrist she pulled her hair band out, and settled it on her wrist like a bracelet. Her long black hair fell around her shoulders and Kaidan inhaled quietly. Why did such a simple thing drive him insane with longing?

“It’s been a hell of a shakedown cruise. Our first mission ends with one Spectre killing another. The Citadel Council’s not gonna be happy about that. Probably use it to lever more concessions out of the Alliance.” Kaidan needed to distract himself with other things.

“You’ve got a good grasp of the situation; you a career man?” Alyss asked, her voice sounding a bit flirtier than she’d intended…

He shrugged, nonchalantly ignoring his palpitating heart at her seductive tone. “You know how it is for biotics. We’re not restricted, but we sure don’t go undocumented. May as well get a paycheck for it. Besides, my father served. Made him proud when I enlisted. Eventually. But is that why you’re here, because of your family?”

Alyss shook her head. “I was a regular Navy brat. I got a little more noteworthy than the folks expected.”

“Ah, that’s right. The Blitz. I imagine that bought you any post in the fleet.” Kaidan nodded approvingly.

“I’ve never met anyone who was awarded the Star of Terra.” Ashley added, teasingly.

“You can have it, if you want.” Shepard smirked. “It’s in the crew quarters, on the nightstand next to my bunk—I’m pretty sure it ostracizes whoever holds it.”

All three laughed, but Alyss was completely serious; she’d never felt like she fit in anywhere since she got it, until she was reassigned to the Normandy. Her father had gotten it framed for her—because she never wanted to wear it. She never saw the point—it was just a physical reminder of all the colonists she’d failed—not just the ones she saved. Kaidan sensed something in her tone and knew it was time to move on to another topic. 

“Word is we’re heading for the Citadel, ma’am. Can you tell us why?” He asked.

“The captain hopes the Ambassador can get an audience with the Council.” Shepard said, not wanting to hide anything from her crew. “Tell them what Saren’s been up to.”

“Makes sense.” He nodded. “They’d probably like to know he’s not working for them anymore.”

Alyss smiled at him, and hopped off the table. They should be getting close to the Citadel by now and she needed to tell Joker to dock. Both Kaidan and Ashley stood up from the table as well, saluting her as they did so. She grimaced. The salute wasn’t necessary in the slightest, and it tended to make Shepard very uncomfortable.

“Yeah, I know I would.” She said.

“Whatever happens, we’ll be ready, Commander.” Kaidan assured her.


	19. Docking on the Citadel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Ashley and Alyss' first time on the Citadel, and the two of them can't wait to play tourist, but first they have to get through their meeting with the council...even though no one believes Saren could possibly be guilty of trying to commit mass genocide on Eden Prime. Without sufficient evidence to back up their claims, Shepard is just the girl who cried wolf.

Shepard’s report had been sent to the ambassador, the moment she’d completed it in the med bay, by Captain Anderson, and all she could do now was wait. She wasn’t looking forward to meeting Udina again, though if he could get them a meeting with the Council, Alyss supposed she’d just have to deal with it, even though the guy was a jerk. She walked into the cockpit—and this time Joker heard her approach.

“Good timing, Commander.” Joker teased. “I was just about to bring us in to the Citadel. See that taxpayer money at work.”

Alyss nodded, and stood slightly behind his chair and off to the left, her hands folded behind her back. She stared out of the window in front of them, just admiring the view as the Normandy approached the large silver mass effect relay, with the glowing blue and ever in motion Element Zero core. On the main view screen, Shepard could see the shifting purple-gray clouds of the Serpent Nebula; the outline of the Citadel came into view moments later.

Alyss held her breath—it was her first time ever on the Citadel, and frankly she was excited. Sure they had a job to do, but she was certainly hoping they could do some sightseeing while they were there…though the mission took priority and if they didn’t have time, she’d drag herself back later on down the road, and play tourist.

The purplish clouds parted before them as they flew through them and Shepard could see orange and brown and white, as well as twinkling lights on the ward arms as they entered into their approach vector. They passed multiple ships from the council fleet just stalled, in what felt like midair, and then she heard the footsteps behind her.

She turned to see Kaidan and Ashley, meandering in. Williams wandered over to stare out the window, Shepard walked over to join her and to see more of the view as they zoomed in and out of the staggered fleet ships, as Alenko stood behind Joker, the two men watching the women at the window wordlessly. Obviously Ash had never been to the Citadel either—she was just as much in awe as Alyss herself.

“Welcome to Wonderland, Commander.” Joker teased.

“Look at the size of that ship!” Ashley exclaimed, resting her arm against the cool glass of the window.

Alyss knew which one she was talking about immediately. It reminded her of a suction cup or the foot of a table, with four small pieces jutting out each direction—north, south, east, and west—which if they had been for a table would be for stability, and a large gun directly in the center. The main gun was larger than the rest of the ship by far—though one could only imagine the kind of firepower a gun like that held.

Shepard shook her head; that was the soldier in her talking.

“The Ascension. Flagship of the Citadel Fleet.” Kaidan muttered.

“Well, size isn’t everything.” Joker scoffed.

Ashley grinned and raised an eyebrow as she turned to glance at their pilot. “Why so touchy, Joker?”

Joker shrugged. “I’m just saying you need firepower, too.”

Shepard made a very unladylike snort in the back of her throat. While she and Joker had constantly bantered back and forth since her arrival, making completely inappropriate jokes and innuendos at and around one another, she hadn’t expected anyone else to join him besides her. It looked like Ashley really was going to fit in just fine—not that Alyss had been worried; she just wanted Williams to feel comfortable and like she really belonged.

“Look at that monster!” Williams continued, still staring out the window. “Its main gun could rip through the barriers on any ship in the Alliance fleet.”

Kaidan and Joker had seen Alyss start to turn their direction, and had quickly turned around and faced forward; no one needed to know that they had both been checking out their CO. She knew it was obvious this was her first time here—probably why Joker had teased her with that ‘Wonderland’ comment. It wasn’t the first time he’d used it—the moment he discovered her name was Alyss, he brought it up every chance he could.

“Good thing it’s on our side, then.” Kaidan replied, trying hard not to look over at his commanding officer again—an effort which was not lost on Joker.

Joker started to smirk as he opened a channel to the Citadel Control Station inside the Tower. He had good fun with their Commander, she wasn’t the stick in the mud he expected, and he knew how much the lieutenant studied her from the corner of his eye, when she was too busy to notice. Joker himself even eyeballed her sometimes—came with her being so damned beautiful…

“Citadel Control, this is SSV Normandy requesting permission to land.” Joker announced.

“Stand by for clearance, Normandy.” A gruff male voice echoed over the Cockpit speakers, and there was a slight pause. “Clearance granted. You may begin your approach. Transferring you to an Alliance operator.”

He raised his eyebrows—grinning, as Alyss walked over and stood behind his chair

“Roger, Alliance Tower. Normandy out.” Joker continued.

“Normandy, this is Alliance Tower. Please proceed to dock 422.” The Alliance tower operator instructed.

Joker switched off the channel and directed the Normandy on the appropriate approach run, bringing them in to dock quickly, but delicately and effectively. Alyss knew if he got one scratch on his baby he’d be in a surly mood for the rest of the trip…and so would the people who he’d make buff it out, so the slower he eased in, the better…for everyone involved. The docking clamps glowed as they were activated and they attached themselves to the wings of the Normandy, and everyone left the cockpit, in order to gear up.

The view from Udina’s office was breathtaking—there was so much Shepard wanted to see: the relay monument, the krogan statue, the fountains, and the lake; she could barely contain her excitement, but she needed to finish up with the council first. Ambassador Udina—the big jerk—was concluding a holographic conference with them, one that he’d been engaged in since Ashley, Kaidan, Anderson and herself had stepped into his office about twenty minutes or so beforehand.

It was a good thing he had such a nice view of the Presidium…

“This is an outrage!” Udina yelled. “The Council would step in if the geth attacked a turian colony!”

Shepard suspected if he could have, the salarian councilor would have rolled his eyes. Even though they’d called for this meeting, everyone in it seemed preoccupied with something else. They’d be given another chance, Alyss was sure of it, but this meeting didn’t seem like it was going well at all—at least no one had brought up her vision…

“The Turians don’t found colonies on the borders of the Terminus Systems, Ambassador.” The Salarian councilor practically spit the word: Ambassador.

It was obvious to anyone that humans were barely tolerated by the council—even though they’d been granted their own embassy and had an ambassador who could demand a meeting with them anytime he’d liked, it was obvious from the way they talked down to him that they really didn’t care what he had to say right now. While Shepard didn’t really like him that much either, they could at least pretend that they cared—she didn’t like seeing the envoy of her race spoken to thusly—even though Udina was rough around the edges, he at least knew how to get things done.

“Humanity was well aware of the risks when you went into the Traverse.” The Asari councilor added, her voice gentler, but Alyss could hear the discontent laced through it.

“What about Saren?” Udina asked, probably sensing it was time to move on as the other occupants in the room already knew. “You can’t just ignore a rogue Spectre. I demand action!”

Anderson, Williams, Alenko and Shepard all exchanged looks as they shifted uncomfortably—that wasn’t his place and they all knew it, but it was what they all wanted—Saren out of the picture…but the council obviously didn’t want to listen…even if they had an eye witness. But it was also a human eye witness testifying against and unknowingly trying to help them bring down the council’s best Spectre operative.

The Turian councilor shook his head angrily, his mandibles flicking out. “You don’t get to make demands of the Council, _Ambassador_.”

Why did they all make the word ambassador sound nasty and degrading?

“Citadel Security is investigating your charges against Saren. We will discuss the C-Sec findings at the hearing. Not before.” The Asari interrupted.

The hologram fizzled out, and Udina’s shoulders slumped forward. They had barely been listening to anything he said, but at least they still had the hearing to look forward to and try again…even though without proper evidence they’d still be in the same hole. Hopefully C-Sec found something useful. Udina turned slowly, straightened his posture and turned his anger onto Anderson.

“Captain Anderson.” Udina sneered. “I see you brought half your crew with you.”

“Just the ground team from Eden Prime.” Anderson said his voice pleasant—Alyss silently applauded him as she stood up straight and saluted the ambassador. “In case you had any questions.”

Shepard probably would’ve smacked the sneer right off his face if it had been her—the guy was just rude, and Anderson didn’t deserve that tone. He’d done everything right—it wasn’t his fault everything had gone south. But Alyss had to admit the evidence was slim—she hadn’t seen this Saren at all…just had to take Powell’s word for it that that was indeed the name Nihlus had said before he died. Maybe she should have kept leaning against the railing with Alenko and Williams…

Udina picked his words carefully and deliberately. “I have the mission reports. I assume they’re accurate?”

Anderson nodded, as Shepard dropped into her ‘at ease’ military stance—feet shoulder width apart and hands folded behind her back as she continued to listen carefully to the conversation between the two older men. It was kind of about her—she would never falsify a report, and it was said report they were talking about—and yet, Udina seemed to refuse to speak to her directly but he was all kinds of good with insinuating that she had lied to provoke something.

“They are.” Anderson told him. “Sounds like you convinced the Council to give us an audience.”

“They were not happy about it.” Udina glared at Anderson. “Saren’s their top agent. They don’t like him being accused of treason.”

His eyes had turned coldly onto Alyss, finally acknowledging that it was her fault he was even in this predicament. That she could take—Anderson had done nothing to deserve his rudeness, and Udina was finally pointing it in the right direction, instead of directing it all towards her friend. She stared straight back at him, daring him to challenge her.

“Saren’s a threat to every human colony out there. He needs to be stopped. The council has to listen to us!” Alyss honestly wasn’t holding her breath, but her tone oozed confidence.

“Settle down, Commander.” Udina rolled his eyes. “You’ve already done more than enough to jeopardize your candidacy for the Spectres. The mission on Eden Prime was a chance to prove you could get the job done. Instead, Nihlus ended up dead and the beacon was destroyed.”

Shepard took a deep breath, as she clenched and unclenched her fist. Clocking Donnel Udina in the jaw in the middle of his office was not a way to get him on her side. When had this become about her Spectre candidacy? She hadn’t done anything wrong, but obviously neither the council nor the ambassador cared that she’d done everything by the book…sometimes missions failed—that could hardly be construed as her fault. With Nihlus dead, was she going to get another chance to become a Spectre? Had he put forth her name in vain, only to die trying to help her achieve that goal?

“That’s Saren’s fault, not hers!” Anderson cut in forcefully.

“Then we better hope the C-Sec investigation turns up evidence to support our accusations. Otherwise, the Council might use this as an excuse to keep you out of the Spectres.”

While she disapproved of playing politics, Udina had a point. The council didn’t seem fond of humans in the first place, and one of their agents—a Turian agent—had died trying to help her become the first human Spectre. No matter how she turned the issue, it all looked like her fault. She shook her head slightly, and forced herself to focus—the galaxy was in danger and she couldn’t dwell on such things.

“I understand. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen, sir.” Alyss said, quietly.

Udina nodded slightly in acknowledgement.

“Come with me, Captain.” The ambassador continued. “I want to go over a few things. Shepard, you and the others can meet us at the Citadel Tower for the hearing at 1700 hours. Top level. I’ll make sure you have clearance to get in.”

After Udina and Anderson left the office, Ashley shook her head slightly.

“And that’s why I hate politicians.” Ashley muttered.

Alyss snorted. “You can’t spell ‘Ambassador’, without ‘ass’ now can you?”

Kaidan and Ashley chuckled at her joke, and made their way out of the ambassador’s office.


	20. Playing Tourist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is fully informational, and the last chapter for a little bit, copying dialogue and making sure I do everything is painstakingly tedious. Alyss finds herself in the Elcor and volus embassies, and eagerly asks about their histories and cultures, as well as trying to help one elcor ambassador with an issue regarding the asari consort, even though he is not very forthcoming about the problem.

Alyss, Kaidan and Ashley had time to explore before they met up with Anderson and Udina and Shepard planned to spend it taking in all the sights, sounds and smells the Citadel had to offer. Kaidan and Ashley followed behind her quietly. After she left the Ambassador’s office she saw a door to another embassy to her right and walked towards it, curious. The door slid open at her approach and she saw two elcor and a volus in conversation around a small white desk—she couldn’t help but to overhear some of their hushed discussion.

“Xeltan, I understand what you are saying, but these allegations are very serious. I can’t just—” One elcor was telling the other, in their slow and deliberate speech.

“This is serious, Calyn. My reputation is at stake. I spoke with the Consort in confidence, and her alone. But she betrayed that confidence.” The other elcor replied in deep monotone.

With their tones of voice, it wasn’t implied, but Alyss felt like the second Elcor to speak was in anguish. Something was wrong, and she liked to help wherever and whenever she could. She walked into the room cautiously. No one had noticed her presence, and they merely continued on without any acknowledgement to her. The word ‘consort’ threw her off a little—she knew what the word implied.

“All right. I will look into it for you. In the meantime, do not do anything rash.” The first one conceded.

She approached the one with the problem.

“Hello there, human. Sincere apology, but I am here on business and cannot be distracted right now.”

“You seem distressed. Is there something I can do to help?” Shepard asked, genuinely concerned.

“Alarmed response, you overheard that, did you? This is all going so wrong, and it is the asari Consort’s fault. She’s the one who started all this.”

“What did this asari do to get you so upset?” Alyss asked.

The elcor called Xeltan, shook his massive head, and shied away from her. It didn’t look like he wanted to talk about it. Alyss probably should have just asked what or who exactly the consort was, but she’d wanted to help if she could but it didn’t look like he was going to tell her anything—he only confirmed her suspicions when he began to talk again.

“I cannot speak more about this problem; it is too sensitive. Suffice it to say, she has compromised my authority as a diplomat.”

Well if he wasn’t going to tell her, maybe she’d ask the consort herself and see if she couldn’t help him secretly. She didn’t want to see anyone in distress—even if elcors didn’t show emotion very well, if at all. She nodded in understanding; he didn’t have to tell her anything if he didn’t want to…after all, he didn’t even know her. For all he knew she just wanted to exploit his weakness.

“Where can I find this asari Consort?”

“She is across the bridge from here.” Xeltan motioned out the window with his head. “Her offices are easy enough to spot. Good day, human.”

She stepped away—a high end prostitute sure was causing trouble.

She turned to the other elcor, Calyn as Xeltan slowly shuffled away out of the offices. If he had seen the exchange between her and his fellow elcor he didn’t show it. Maybe he could answer some questions, seeing as she was so new to this whole embassy and Citadel thing. She smiled casually at him and he nodded in response.

“Pleased greeting. Human, it is always good to see your kind. I am Ambassador Calyn. Genuine query, is there something I can do for you this day?”

Alyss shrugged. “What do you do here?”

“Modestly, I work to bring the problems and the requests of the elcor groups to the attention of the Council.” Calyn responded, slowly.

“Ha. They only give us these positions to keep us quiet.” The volus sneered in contempt. “The Council doesn’t care about our races.”

Alyss had almost forgotten that he was even here, he had been paying no attention to her, and even seemed to be disgusted with her very presence. She’d been so focused on trying to help Xeltan, that everything else in the room seemed inconsequential.

“Chastising rebuke: your tone is inappropriate, Din. This Human is not to blame for your malcontent or your misconceived suspicions.” Calyn told the angry little volus, before returning his attention to Alyss.

“Tell me more about your species.” She encouraged.

She leaned against the counter he was standing behind, fascinated. Her father had always loved her thirst for knowledge, no matter what the subject was. He’d take her to library after library, and she could just sit there reading for hours—her dad would just sit there in a chair directly across from her and just watch her taking it all in.

“Genuine enthusiasm, I delight in telling the history of my people. It is agreeable to share our culture with others.” The elcor responded.

If the elcor showed any emotion, Alyss was sure he would be bouncing on the balls of his feet, in eager anticipation. She smiled genuinely.

“Tell me about the history and origins of the elcor then, if you please.”

“The elcor were just beginning to explore council space when the asari first made contact with us. With their help, we discovered the relay closest to our system and from there, the Citadel. Proudly, within one lifetime we established a regular route to the Citadel and quickly became one of the more active species living on this great station.”

“I’d like to know more about the culture of the elcor, if you don’t mind.”

This human was starting to grow on Calyn. She was genuinely interested in what he had to say, and it was a rare sight to behold, and she was extremely polite towards him. Her two companions that had been loitering behind her, watched her with small smiles on their faces, the male enchanted, the female amused. They knew she would stay until her curiosity was sated.

“Frankly, we elcor prefer the safety and familiarity of our own colonies to the confines of space travel. Our society is built on small tight-knit groups, though we are always welcoming to outsiders. Our government tends to be very stable. Our people are not very comfortable with sudden changes.”

“Why do you explain what you’re about to say?” Alyss questioned.

“Our people communicate less through words and more through scent and slight movements. Plainly, we discovered our vocal expression was not enough to convey the feelings of our conversations to other species.”

Alyss nodded—that explained the monotone, but she’d commit that little factoid to memory. She was sure to run into more elcor on her travels, as well as all the other species the galaxy had to offer. She wanted to learn everything she could; if she was still in the running for a Spectre, she would need to know the ins and outs of everyone she could possibly encounter. The volus next to her huffed indignantly.

“Why do you bother, Calyn? These Earth-clan don’t really care about our ways.” He pointed accusingly at her, not even bothering to look.

She had half a mind to kick him.

Calyn shook his head. “Remorseful response, Din. You don’t truly believe that. And if you do, I am very sorry for you.”

Alyss nodded politely in his direction. “Goodbye, Ambassador.”

“Sincere farewell. Good day to you, human. Enjoy your time on the Citadel.”

Sighing internally, she turned to Din. He was kind of an asshole with a giant chip on his shoulder, but he was the only volus in the immediate area, who could answer all the questions she had about what the volus history and culture were like. He was probably only rude, because Shepard had been ignoring him in favor of the elcor.

“Earth-clan, you are in the wrong place, I think.” The end of every sentence was punctuated by a deep breath that hitched on a mechanical regulator. “Your ambassador is next door in the large office.”

Calyn shook his head once again. “Chastising remark. Don’t be so rude, Din. At least introduce yourself.”

Din had turned to stare at Calyn, unsure as to why he was supposed to give this Earth-clan the time of day. He didn’t know why she was here, but her presence was rubbing him the wrong way. If Alyss hadn’t known any better she would say that Din looked sad—but his tone was just exasperated with her.

He let out a long sigh. “I am Din Korlack, volus ambassador. Is there something I can do for you, Earth-clan?”

He practically spit the term Earth-clan.

“What is this place?” Alyss asked, looking around.

A deep mechanical breath. “You are in the embassy for the volus and the elcor.”

Calyn motioned to his left. “Your ambassador is next door, in his own office.”

It was all starting to become clearer—the chip on Din’s shoulder: these two ambassadors had to share an office, while the newcomers—the humans, got to have their own office, audiences with the council, and possibly even a spectre. She frowned slightly.

“In this shared space, I aid my fellow volus. When I’m not being interrupted.” Din muttered angrily.

He put a lot of emphasis on the word ‘shared’, and Alyss desperately tried to move on. Maybe talking about his species would make him less cranky.

“I’d like to know more about the volus.”

Another deep mechanical breath sounded. “I’m sure our history and culture would bore you, Earth-clan.”

She’d definitely asked because she’d be bored. What the hell was up with this damn volus? Obviously he was just always angry seeing as she’d done nothing wrong except ask him a few questions about his species because she was genuinely interested, and he was trying to shut her down and make her leave every chance he got. If he’d just answer her questions she’d be able to leave faster, and not keep entertaining the urge to kick him.

She rolled her eyes. “Actually, I would like to know more about your history.”

“My people came to the Citadel shortly after the asari and salarians had discovered it. We were instrumental in establishing a standardized galactic economy. However, despite our long association with the Citadel and our many contributions to galactic society, we still do not hold a seat on the council.”

Red lips opened in an ‘o’ shape. It all was finally coming out.

Shepard crossed her arms over her chest. “Tell me about volus culture, if you would.”

Kaidan and Ashley couldn’t figure out how she was still so calm with this guy. Ashley had wanted to shoot him upon contact, and Kaidan understood where he was coming from, but it didn’t give him the right to talk to Commander Shepard like that—she was just trying to be friendly and show them that she had a genuine interest in their species.

“We are tribal by nature, but our ways are not violent. We barter and trade our lands and tribe members in order to increase status. Larger tribes often engulf smaller ones and eventually split again. Our society is very malleable, and our government is always shifting and changing. Since we’re not physically adept, we trade our services for protection.” There was a hint of nostalgia in Din’s voice.

“What is it you do here?”

“I look out for the best interests of the volus people. No easy task considering how often we are overlooked by the council.”

Calyn looked over at din from behind the counter. “Chastising rebuke, Din. The council favors your species greatly.”

Shepard had to suppress her giggles; Calyn seem to chastising Din for a lot.

Din shook his head. “You are naïve. The Earth-clan will be invited to the Council long before our species will.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Why aren’t the elcor or volus part of the Council?”

“All species must prove themselves before they join the Council. All but the Earth-clans, it would seem.” Din huffed.

“Dismissive, ignore the volus ambassador, human. He is incorrect in his assessment.”

Din Korlack snorted derisively behind his helmet.

“Really? How long have we been waiting? How long do you think we’ll continue to wait? Bah. This talk is wasted on the humans.” He sneered.

“You seem to have a bit of a chip on your shoulder, Din.”

He pointed an accusatory finger at her. “You humans are new to the Citadel, and yet the Council has granted you great favor.”

“Chastising rebuke, Din. Your species has always been granted many concessions. Volus territory has expanded ten-fold since coming to the Citadel.”

The volus snorted. “Hmph. Details. We still have no real say in the decisions that affect Citadel space.”

Alyss was done talking to this self-assured little ass. “Goodbye, ambassador.”

He waved her off. “Yes, yes. Good day, Earth-clan.”

Shaking her head as she walked out of the embassy, Kaidan and Ashley jogged to keep up with her. The Volus had really dampened her spirits about being here. The two fell into step beside her as they descended the stairs together onto the main floor of the Presidium. Kaidan resisted the urge to put his hand on her shoulder—she was still his CO.

“Don’t let that volus get you down, Commander.” He said.

“You said it yourself, you can’t spell ambassador without ass.” Ashley added.

Shepard smiled at the two of them; they were absolutely right. What was the opinion of one volus, when here they were, at the beating heart of galactic society surrounded by beauty and nearly every species imaginable? She was in a new place and planned to make the absolute most of it, because who knew when she’d get another chance like this. With a spring in her step and renewed vigor, the three of them started walking around the Presidium.

“You’re both right. Now come on we have some exploring to do!”


	21. Explorations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exploring the Citadel with Kaidan and Ashley in tow before they have to head up to see the council, Alyss finds herself looking in every nook and cranny while playing tourist. While beautiful, something is wrong here, and even though they can't pinpoint it yet, it'll come back to haunt them later. She finds out that while the council talks a big game, they're hiding something too when she talks to the virtual guide Avina (whom I actually hate because she's annoying and reminds me of Cortana from Halo if you can't tell from my description of her, lol)

“Good day, Commander. The human ambassador is up the stairs, first room on the right.”

It wasn’t like she’d just come from there—if the receptionist had been paying any attention she would’ve seen Alyss, Kaidan, and Ashley come down the stairs before she started talking to them on their way past her desk. She stopped mid-shrug; Commander? How did this woman already know who she was when Alyss herself had made no introduction? Her eyebrows shot up her forehead.

“You know who I am?”

The receptionist nodded. “Yes. I receive reports on all newly arrived dignitaries and notable people.

At this point it really shouldn’t surprise her that people knew who she was anymore—not after the Blitz and being awarded the star of Terra, but it still threw her off occasionally. But she was here to learn and so after squaring her shoulders, she let it roll off her back. Kaidan and Ashley both had to stifle their laughter—watching their CO be uncomfortable, as fun as it was, wasn’t why they were following her around the Citadel as she stalled for any time that could be afforded to her.

“What is this place?” Alyss asked.

If this being her first time to the Citadel wasn’t apparent before, it definitely was now.

“This is the Presidium. More specifically, you are at the Citadel Embassies. If you have more questions, please access Avina.” The asari replied brusquely.

“Avina? What’s that?” Ashley cut in.

The Asari suddenly brightened up for a moment—even if they were annoying her with question it was obvious the two women had never been here before, so she would at least try to be as helpful as possible. She pointed off behind them at a holographic purple/orange woman being projected in front of a terminal. Alyss bit her lower lip.

“Oh, Avina is the virtual guide for the Citadel. Feel free to access the terminal yourself.”

“What’s your name? What do you do here?”

“My name is Saphyria. I am the administrative assistant for the embassies.”

Kaidan shook his head almost imperceptibly—that hadn’t really answered the question of what she did here. “You seem to be distracted.”

Saphyria folded her hands on the desk in front of her. “The embassies are the hub of all Citadel politics. When you represent trillions of citizens it tends to get a little busy.”

Alyss rolled her eyes. No matter how busy she got, she always tried to make time for everyone—but maybe because she was raised in space, by a very tight crew, she’d been a little sheltered as a child. She shrugged. Oh well—it was no skin off her nose whether or not this asari liked her; they’d probably never see each other again after this moment, unless it was briefly in passing. She inclined her head politely.

“I should be going now.”

“Have a pleasant day.” Saphyria nodded.

Turning around in a slight huff, she made her way over to the purple and orange virtual asari and scoffed. Could she be wearing any less? Sure she was a virtual image but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be programmed with virtual clothes; if her memory served her correctly, the asari were the first to find the Citadel, so it did make sense why Avina looked like an asari, but it’s not like they _had_ to give it a form at all, not with so many different species now occupying the same shared space. Didn’t that give the impression one species was higher than all the others? Rolling her eyes, she pressed the interactive button on the terminal; she’d give her right arm to talk to a real person again. Avina suddenly came to life.

“Greetings, and welcome to the Presidium. My name is Avina, and I am pleased to be your virtual guide throughout this level of the Citadel space station.” Her voice was oddly mechanical, though it was obvious someone had gone to great lengths to try to make it sound pleasant…

“So are you a person or a program?”

What she’d actually meant was AI or VI—even if AI research was technically illegal—or if Avina was once a real person and this program was constructed in her likeness, but she probably should’ve been more specific in her inquiry, she realized with a sigh as the interface kept going.

“I am a fully interactive virtual intelligence, programmed to provide spontaneous guidance at predetermined locations of interest throughout this level of the Citadel. I may also be contacted through any of the Presidium VI terminals, should you require assistance.”

At least a virtual tour sound interesting enough.

“Give me the tour, please.” Alyss replied.

“You are standing at Presidium Tourism Terminal 1. On either side of this lobby are the embassies of the various Citadel races, along with C-Sec headquarters.” Avina pointed in each direction making Alyss glance around her curiously. “At the far end of this level you can see the Citadel Tower, where the Council meets regularly to discuss matters of interstellar importance.”

“I want to know more about Citadel Security.”

Considering they were the ones currently doing the investigation on Saren, Alyss wanted to learn all she could. She didn’t doubt that they could be trusted or the information reliable, it’s just there were obviously a lot of them and it was hard to police such a large agency. Also she wanted to make sure they were using all the resources they had to prove that Saren was a corrupt traitor…the council seemed all too willing to believe she’d made it up if it meant disavowing their best agent. The one who’d killed Nihlus on Eden Prime. If it was the last thing she did, she’d avenge his death.

“Citadel Security serves as law enforcement for all regions of the Citadel, though the majority of officers serve in the wards. Executor Pallin, a turian, is the current head of C-Sec, but individuals from virtually every species across Citadel space serve as officers beneath him. If you wish to learn more, Executor Pallin’s office is located in the C-Sec headquarters just across the lobby.”

“Do you know anything about Spectres?” Alyss asked.

“The term Spectre is derived from the branch of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance. Each Spectre agent is hand-picked by the Council. Their primary role is preserving galactic stability and resolving volatile situations that cannot be handled through normal political channels. In this role they are granted extraterritorial rights and jurisdictions. Spectres answer to no law or authority except the Council itself.”

“What can you tell me about the Citadel Council?”

“Originally, the Council consisted of representatives from the asari and salarians, the two dominant species in Citadel space. Roughly 1,304 galactic standard years ago, turians were invited to join the Council in recognition of the role they played during the Krogan Rebellion.” A rebellion the salarians had caused, but Alyss kept her mouth clamped shut. 

“Since then, the three Council races have worked together to ensure the peaceful coexistence of the galactic community, while preserving individual autonomy for each species.”

But none of them had addressed the Volus or Elcor concerns about not being granted Council status, even after years of working alongside them, content to remain set in their ways of superiority. Her disgust for the Council was growing—they had their heads shoved way too far up their asses to see that their perfect utopia was completely flawed. She shook her head with disdain.

“It can’t be as simple as that. There must be problems somewhere in the system.” Alyss pushed.

A problem like looking past Saren’s transgressions…

“I am not programmed to make that kind of qualified judgement. My code is limited to information and simple interaction simulations.” Avina clarified.

“Tell me about the embassies.”

“Each species in Citadel space important enough to be consulted on matters of galactic politics maintains an embassy on the Presidium. The volus were the first non-Council species to be granted an embassy, roughly 2,384 galactic standard years ago. As Citadel space has expanded, more embassies have been added. The most recently added embassy belong to your own species: humanity. It was added nineteen galactic standard years ago, despite some rather vocal opposition.”

She scrunched up her nose. “Why were people trying to keep my species out?”

“Some species felt humanity was given preferential treatment. It often takes a century or more before a new species is granted an embassy. The Council gave a great deal of thought to this matter. In the end, they decided humanity’s impact on Citadel space was significant enough to warrant an embassy.”

“Do you agree with their decision?” Alyss asked quietly.

“I am not programmed to make that kind of qualified judgement. My code is limited to information and simple interaction simulations.” Avina repeated.

Her voice rarely changed pitch and Alyss was starting to feel a little done with the program, but she was here to learn all she could…even though she felt awful for Ashley and Kaidan who had been standing in silence behind her the whole time. They didn’t have to hang out with her while she played tourist, but never of them had budged an inch from wanting to help her out anyway they could. They were all definitely going to feel this run-around in the morning when they went to see the Council that was for certain.

“How come the volus were the first species given an embassy?”

“In the early years following the formation of the Council the volus were—apart from the asari and Salarians—the most populous and widespread species in Citadel space. They established many new colonies and trading outposts, and they petitioned the Council for a greater role in determining interstellar policy. In recognition of their work to expand interstellar trade and establish a standardized galactic economy, the volus were granted an embassy here on the Citadel.”

After 2384 years on the Citadel, the Volus had only been given an embassy? That didn’t seem right at all. Why weren’t they a council race yet, if they had that much history with the Council? Turians had been there for less than that with 1304 years, but after fixing the mess with the Krogans the Salarians had made, they were also a council race…and humans had only been here nineteen years but they had an embassy. She was also about to be the first human Spectre—it wasn’t fair…no wonder Din Korlack had been so angry with her when they’d spoken earlier. She’d have to apologize to him later.

“Why weren’t they made a Council race?” Alyss decided it was best to just come out and ask, instead of keeping her questions to herself.

“The council races have extensive responsibilities. They must provide personnel and ships for the Citadel fleets. They often provide economic aid in times of disaster. It would be unfair to demand such an enormous burden of a species unable to meet these obligations. The embassies allow lesser species to have a voice on the Citadel.”

What Alyss couldn’t figure out was why the Council got to decide what the other species could and couldn’t handle—if the Volus were willing to do such, why weren’t they allowed to even try? The use of the word ‘lesser’ sent her over. That was wrong, they were all in this together—equal partners—and if her vision was right, they’d need all hands on deck to stop the massacre that seemed unavoidable at this point.

“That’s pretty damn arrogant!” She fumed.

“I apologize if my personality has offended you. Please submit all formal complaints in writing to the Citadel Tourist and Visitor Board.” Avina told her.

Alyss glared before logging off the terminal. She was one-hundred percent done.

“Let’s go.” She muttered.

“Goodbye, and thank you for using Avina. Please enjoy your visit to the Citadel.”

“Remind me not to use that stupid contraption again.”

“Aye, Aye, Skipper.” Ashley nodded.

“What’s up those stairs?” Kaidan pointed to their right.

He was trying to make her smile again—he loved it when she smiled; it was like everything was right with the world again. Ashley nudged him teasingly as they walked together behind Shepard, she’d seen the way he looked at her when he thought no one was looking and it was ridiculously obvious to her that he liked her. Kaidan looked away so she couldn’t see him blush.

“Shall we find out?”

Together the three of them jogged up the stairs and found their way into a tiny lounge area, with one of those weird bug things that seemed to be everywhere, and a bunch of diplomats seated at separate terminals all carrying on conversations, and letting themselves be completely oblivious of everyone else. It sure was peaceful here on the Presidium—almost like the outside world didn’t exist. They smiled and stood there for a moment taking it all in, before leaving and going down the hallway and opening another door. A brown turian with white face paint looked up at their approach.

“Commander Shepard. I didn’t expect to see you here. Did Ambassador Udina send you?” He asked.

Alyss didn’t like to think about the fact that she was currently under the ambassador’s thumb, if she could help it—it’s not like she was very fond of him. Even if he had asked her to find someone, she wouldn’t know the first place to look, but this turian had done nothing to earn her ire, so she just shook her head. She hated being at a disadvantage—he knew her name, but she didn’t know his.

“Do I know you?”

It was his turn to shake his head.

“No. but I know you well enough. I’m Executor Pallin, head of C-Sec. It’s my job to know when someone like you arrives on the Citadel.” There seemed to be a lot of that going around. “Was there something you needed, Commander?”

“I get the feeling you’re not too fond of humans.” Alyss crossed her arms over her chest.

Pallin leaned forward, and folded his hands together on top of his desk. “No, I just don’t trust your kind. Not yet. You humans are eager to take all the power you can get. And you’re being given a lot. If the Council wants to make humanity their new favorite pet, that’s their business. But I don’t have to like it.”

His attitude was understandable—and not unlike some attitudes throughout human history; slave revolts, religious crusades, and witch trials were just some of the examples. It was their job to show that they had changed, and weren’t the brutes the galaxy made them out to be. What was the phrase? One bad apple, won’t spoil the whole bunch—the species of the galaxy hadn’t been given too many glowing examples of what humans could be. Hopefully if she got instated as a Spectre, she could be a beacon of what they could be. But he hadn’t been in that session with the council earlier—he couldn’t know.

“The Council treats us like second-class citizens. We have to fight for everything we get.” Alyss explained.

Pallin’s brow plates twitched. “Good. Then fight for it. But don’t expect the rest of us to just sit back and let you take it. I’m a busy man, Commander. Are we done here?”

“What do you know about the Spectres?”

Jenkins had mentioned that C-Sec couldn’t take on a Spectre, but Pallin looked capable enough—it was time to see just how much.

“They’re the right hand of the Council, or so they like to be called. More like the underhanded side of the Council.” Pallin scoffed.

“What do you have against them?” Kaidan spoke up suddenly from just behind her elbow.

“I can’t abide any organization that considers itself above the law. Especially when it’s left up to each individual Spectre to decide when and how to ‘bend the rules’.”

Executor Pallin was starting to grow on her.

“Sometimes you have to bend the law to keep people safe.”

“I’ve been with C-Sec for thirty years. I’ve never had to break the law to do my job. Not once.” The turian replied.

Ashley shook her head.

“Yeah, right. You expect us to believe none of your officers are corrupt?” She spat.

The brow plates twitched again.

“There are over two hundred thousand C-Sec agents. Some of them are going to be bad. But we don’t turn a blind eye to corruption like the Spectres do.” He was seething with barely contained anger. “We do our best to find and punish any officer who breaks the law. Spectres—they’ll never come under that kind of scrutiny.”

After the meeting they’d just had with the council, Shepard was starting to see how much that was true—the council had just swept everything under the rug. Out of sight, out of mind as the saying went. There was definitely something bad about some of their ways, but just like humans, they couldn’t be all bad—good Spectres most certainly did exist, the bad ones just gained the most notoriety, while the good ones dwindled away to nothing but a record in some dark, dusty archive. Good or bad though, Spectres were important: someone had to get their hands dirty.

“The galaxy need people like that, people who do the dirty jobs.” She said, keeping her voice level.

He nodded. “I agree, but they need to be held to a higher standard. They need to be accountable. Saren’s out of control. We both know that. But because he’s a Spectre, the Council doesn’t want to do anything about it. Is that the kind of person the galaxy needs?”

Pallin was absolutely right.

“But not all Spectres are like Saren.”

“True, but the potential is always there.”

“Tell me more about C-Sec, please.” Alyss smiled softly.

Manners should never be forgotten—a please or a thank you actually went a very long way.

“C-Sec provides necessary police and security services throughout the Citadel. We’re a civilian government agency, though many of our members have had military training.” The turian explained. “Of course, as the C-Sec representative to the Council, I spend most of my time liaising between the two.”

Who better to talk about Saren than the head of the people currently investigating her claims?

“Tell me about your investigation into Saren.” She practically pleaded—but it was probably going to be like squeezing water out of a stone seeing as the investigation was still in progress.

“Sorry, Commander. I don’t make a habit of giving out details about ongoing investigations.”

“I understand. Thank you for your time, but I’ll leave you be.” Alyss inclined her head politely in his direction.”

“Goodbye, Commander.” He replied.

The two of them nodded cordially at each other, before Ashley, Kaidan and herself made their way out of his office and down the hall into what appeared to be a lounge of sorts; some asari, a couple turians and a few humans were loitering around. It was nice to see Private Fredricks chatting with some friends over in the corner, but Alyss first made her way over to the bar—it was an old Earth thing with bartenders and information or advice…plus she could use a drink. He smiled at her as she approached.

“Hello, Commander. Can I get you something?” He asked, waving them over.

She braced her hands against the counter and leaned forward. “What’ve you got?”

He smiled pleasantly. “Information, mostly. Would you like to know about some points of interest nearby?”

So much for that drink. She shrugged casually and sat down on the bar stool—since it was her first time here it wouldn’t hurt to learn a little more about the area. She always liked to know more about her targets, thought she never seemed to learn much about the where…at least not as much as she did the who or the what. Kaidan and Ashley, sat down on either side of her, not wishing to stand flanking her forever; they could all use a quick breather anyways.

“Fill me in; what’s going on around here?” She asked looking around the lounge.

He leaned forward and started cleaning the counter. “Well, you’ve found the embassies. Not much going on here. Across the bridge you’ll find the bank, the Emporium, and Sha’ira’s. If you haven’t heard of her, you soon will.”

Boy had she heard of her…more than she’d like actually; Sha’ira was all anyone seemed to be talking about.

“If you need supplies, you can try the markets one level below. For entertainment, I’d try Flux or Chora’s Den.” The bartender continued

“Sha’ira’s the asari consort right?”

He nodded. “She entertains clients who can afford her services. Most of the diplomats and ambassadors have visited her at one time or another. She’s a very powerful woman, but also very respected.”

Alyss had to keep herself from making an unladylike snort in the back of her throat. Somehow she wasn’t surprised anymore that the entirety of the Citadel had probably paid her a visit at least once. Whatever paid the bills. The only thing that was actually bugging her was how much everyone seemed to be in love with her—because with that much sway, Sha’ira could probably get whatever she wanted at the drop of a hat. Luckily, it seemed she wasn’t inclined to abuse her power for her own goals…so far…

“Tell me about Flux and Chora’s Den, please.”

The bartender scratched the back of his neck. “Well, Flux has gambling and dancing. Certainly more lively than this place. Chora’s Den on the other hand…Let’s just say it’s livelier and deadlier, all at the same time.”

Alyss cocked her head to the side. Neither Ashley nor Kaidan had missed the way her eyes had lit up at the word ‘gambling’; she didn’t like to bet very much, but she did have a slight weakness for the pastime. She would have to go check out Flux when she was able before having to meet up with the council in the morning. She nodded to the bartender, as she slid off the stool—that was all she needed.

“Thank you so much for the information.” She shot the bartender a dazzlingly disarming smile. “But I really should be going—lots of places to explore.”

“So long, Commander. Have a pleasant day.”

“Don’t believe the rumors! The consort would never reveal her secrets!” Fredricks exclaimed, drawing the trio’s startled gaze from all the way over at the bar.

One of his friends shook his head ruefully. “Of course she wouldn’t. She’d be tossed out the nearest airlock if she did.”

The other one shrugged. “I suppose.”

“Besides, Nick, the consort’s nothing like the girls back on the colonies. She’s…She’s…” Private Fredricks was struggling to find the right words.

Fredricks was bouncing on the balls of his feet, his eyes shining—it sounded like someone else was enamored with the asari consort. Alyss rolled her eyes, just because she had a little disdain for the high end prostitute after what she’d heard from Xeltan when she was in the Volus and Elcor embassy, didn’t mean that everyone else had to feel the same. If this was how he wanted to spend his downtime, she wasn’t going to stop him. Fredricks rubbed the back of his neck as Ashley and Kaidan both chuckled quietly from behind her.

The recruit named Nick rolled his eyes.

“You don’t have to do it with her. You can just talk to her if you want.” The other recruit chimed in.

“Is that all you did, Jaz? Just talk?” Fredricks sounded awestruck.

He blushed to the ends of his brown buzz-cut hair as Alyss rolled her eyes as they turned towards him and his compatriots—his voice had steadily gotten louder the more he talked about that damned asari. Men. Everyone seemed to be enamored by the consort and she was starting to get a really bad feeling about what was going to happen when she went to go speak to her about leaking Xeltan’s secrets everywhere. Something like that couldn’t just happen, but she seemed to have to whole presidium wound around her finger…

“No I did not!” Jaz protested.

“Ha! I bet you did too!” Fredricks teased.

Jaz looked away. “Shut up, Fredricks.”

Alyss tapped him on the shoulder when she got close enough. He probably wanted to keep his voice down, even though the entire lounge already knew about his escapades—he was talking rather loud…she’d heard him from all the way across the room. The two recruits sitting in the chairs across from him stiffened when they saw her behind him, but Fredricks paid them no attention, still caught up in the excitement of talking about the consort. The blond man turned around in a huff.

“What do _you_ want?” His face paled when he saw who he was talking to—had he really just sneered at his CO? “Oh, Commander! Is there something I can do for you?”

He straightened his back, planted his feet shoulder-width apart and gave her a salute. She sighed internally, wishing everyone didn’t go into full military mode every time they saw her; she was a person too. She scrunched up her nose at the wall he’d put up. Kaidan reached out and put a hand on Fredricks shoulder, trying to put him at ease, even in ‘The Commander Shepard’s’ presence; she was ridiculously grateful to him—the tension in the atmosphere eased.

“Relax, Private, this isn’t an inspection.” He teased.

Fredricks dropped his arm immediately. “Right, sorry. What can I do for you, Commander?”

“What can you tell me about the asari consort?” Alyss asked; there was no way in hell she was going to walk in there blind.

He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck embarrassedly. “I, ah, well, she’s an asari who works here as…that is, she helps people with…things.”

As if his stammering wasn’t enough, he refused to look her in the eyes as he answered the question; his own eyes darting everywhere as he tried not to look at her. Alyss and Ashley both shook with laughter, unable to contain their giggles at him being so flustered. For not ever having gone in to see the consort, he certainly jumped to her defense readily enough. Kaidan rolled his eyes, trying hard to ignore the two women next to him making fun of him; the poor kid was embarrassed enough at being called out and they were only making it worse. Fredricks was getting redder by the second.

“You never went to see her, did you, Fredricks?” He asked.

Kaidan’s little smirk, made Alyss’s heart skip a beat.

“I, uh, no. I never did. I couldn’t afford it. It costs half a year’s credits just to go in and talk to her.” Fredricks admitted.

Her eyes went wide—if she could charge such exorbitant prices and everyone still went to see her, she must’ve been making bank; Alyss had been scraping and saving for the eleven years she’d been in the military. Sure she’d never been hurting for credits, but she would never spend that much just to talk to someone. It screamed superfluous and ridiculous. She nodded as she straightened up from where she’d been doubled over with laughter with Ashley, the two of them suddenly somber, patting Fredricks shoulder consolingly.

“I understand not wanting to spend your credits like that. That was very wise. She’s across the bridge from the embassies, right?”

Fredricks nodded.

“Thanks, kid. Have fun. Try not to get into too much trouble.” Ashley teased.

“I will. Have fun, that is.” He agreed.

The trio turned and concealing their smirks made their way from the lounge—it was time to deal with this asari.


	22. The Consort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finally finding their way across the bridge, admiring the lake and the statues, meeting Barla Von and doing a little, shopping, Shepard and co. find themselves at the Consort's chambers where they hope to convince her to stop hurting the elcor diplomat whose secrets are being spread around. The consort squicks me out, so I made her squick Alyss out too, because I always wished we had the option to tell her to keep her hands to herself, because we didn't know her at all and I wouldn't want her just randomly touching me without my permission...

They stopped at the relay statue as they crossed the bridge; Alyss and Kaidan both staring at it in confusion—it seemed like it was emitting a low hum, but it didn’t seem be bothering Ashley in the slightest. Maybe it was because of their biotic amps they could hear it. It was nice to have another biotic around who noticed similar details—they both were thinking the same thing, but neither voiced their thoughts out loud. It was ridiculously intricate with flashing lights; it looked like an actual mass relay only one tenth the size. Ashley let out a low whistle.

“Y’know…art doesn’t normally do much for me, but that relay statue? I like. It’s not gaudy like that krogan one over there.” Ashley pointed at the krogan across the way.

Kaidan cocked his head to the side. “Does anyone else hear that low hum? Is it just me? It sounds like it’s coming from that statue. It makes my teeth tingle.”

“Mine too.” Alyss agreed, as the three of them stared out over the lake.

Ashley had asked if they thought anyone had drowned in it, because it was a little too perfect here and they were obviously hiding something while Kaidan had just stood there amazed at how big and peaceful the Presidium was. Alyss had just laughed, even though she felt the tension too, but it was obvious this place had never seen war; she was really hoping that never changed. Shrugging, she pushed off the railing, and jogged towards the closest building which happened to be the bank, with a little volus behind the counter. Maybe they could make it down to the wards where apparently all the excitement was.

“What’s this?” He drew in a breath. “One of the Earth-clan?” Another breath. “Ah, a very famous one, yes?” A third breath punctuated his speech. “You are the one called Shepard. It is a great honor to welcome the hero of the Blitz.”

Alyss wished her face was less recognizable sometimes. “You’ve got me at a disadvantage here.”

“Forgive me, Earth-clan. My name is Barla Von. My job makes it necessary for me to keep informed. I am a financial advisor to many important clients here on the Citadel. When someone as important as yourself arrives on the station, I take notice.” He explained.

He was choosing his words with the utmost care, the trio noticed. Alyss studied him carefully before scrunching up her nose—he was hiding something but since they’d just met she doubted very much that it had anything to do with her…yet. Unless it was just this place that was making her feel like everyone had a secret. In time she was sure their paths would cross again and at that time she’d make him divulge his secret, but for now, she would be cordial, especially if it was just the atmosphere playing tricks on her mind.

“What’s it like living here on the Citadel?”

“The station is, without a doubt, the greatest wonder in the galaxy. It is a technological marvel. But its true splendor goes much deeper than the hull and engines. From the Presidium to the wards, the entire station is a testament to the success of the Council. All the species of Citadel space together in a single strong community.”

“What makes the Presidium so special?”

“It’s the political center of Citadel space. Eighty percent of all intelligent species in the known galaxy acknowledge the council’s authority on interstellar matters. But only the most powerful and influential species have embassies here on the presidium. This level of the station is reserved for the elite, Shepard. People like us.”

Shepard crossed her arms over her chest, attempting to hide her anger--apparently racism and class differences weren’t just human things. No wonder the wards were livelier, if that’s where most people were confined; it explained why she hadn’t seen a single krogan, batarian, vorcha or quarian on the level, and though she would be the first to admit she hadn’t been here that long, she was pretty sure she didn’t have to be. Part of her couldn’t wait to get out of here and back into space, where she belonged.

“What are the wards like?”

“The cultural heart of the galaxy. They pulse with the lifeblood of millions of citizens from dozens of different species. You never know what you’ll find down in the wards, Commander. It’s always full of surprises. Fortunately, most of them are pleasant.” Barla Von told her.

“Tell me more about your job.”

“Galactic finance is incredibly complex; a mix of laws and regulations from dozens of interstellar economies. I’m an expert in how all those economies interact. For a fee, I share  
my expertise. I also offer premium services for those clients who need someone to conduct business without drawing unwanted attention. Discreet and efficient. That’s my motto.”

Because that didn’t sound shady at all—was that even legal?

“Sounds pretty shady.” Alyss replied, shifting her weight onto her other foot.

Behind the mask, he was probably offended that she’d called him out like that. But the tone of his voice remained completely level—if he was upset, he didn’t show it. She’d probably lingered for far too long, but seeing as Barla Von kept talking, she apparently couldn’t leave yet. Kaidan was fixated on a lock of black hair that had fallen out of her ponytail, as he stood behind her, and Ashley was leaning leisurely up against the wall picking at something under her nails. Hopefully they’d stop and eat lunch soon—both of them were suddenly ravenous. 

“Everything I do falls completely within the bounds of interstellar commerce law. Even so, many of my clients would prefer their transactions remain undisclosed. For example, suppose a hanar ambassador was petitioning the Council to reduce tariffs on hanar goods. How would it look if he had money invested in a hanar exporting company? Even if his true motives were to help his people, he would be accused of advancing the petition for his own personal gain. I can keep his personal finances private.”

Alyss shook her head, she didn’t buy it—no matter how he spun it…it just kept sounding worse.

“Still sounds shady to me.” She replied.

“Then we can only hope you will never be cursed with a large enough fortune to require my services.” He huffed.

“I should go.”

He took a deep breath. “Goodbye, Commander.”

“Ooh it’s a shop! Let’s stop in here!” Alyss exclaimed excitedly as the passed the Emporium with its hanar shopkeeper.

Kaidan and Ashley exchanged surprised glances behind her back; they’d never thought of their fearless commander as someone who enjoyed shopping in her down time, but neither of them knew her that well yet. They knew about her from all the vids of the Blitz, but for Kaidan it had been two weeks and for Ashley it had been two days. Who were they to say anything? Alyss would be the first to admit that window shopping was her absolute favorite pastime, and she had a love of shoes that her mother had deemed unnatural for a soldier, considering most of the time she had to wear boots and armor—sometimes she was just a regular girl.

The hanar glowed blue as they approached.

“Ah, human. This one is greatly pleased to see you here in my decadent Emporium.” He greeted.

She smiled. “Who are you?”

“This one’s face name is Delanynder, though many in this place simply refer to it as Delan. Please take time to examine the fine goods it has for purchase, all of great worth.”

“What exactly do you sell?”

“Only the finest and most luxurious items that credits can buy.” Delan responded enthusiastically. “This one is able to procure almost any item the human would desire. For a price, naturally.”

If that wasn’t shameless plugging, Alyss didn’t know what was. Could he be more vague about the description of his shop? Deep down she knew it wasn’t going to be shoes, but maybe she could pick up a new mod for her pistol, or a new biotic amp for her and Kaidan. It never hurt to be prepared for the worst, and hopefully she could pick up more chemical rounds—those were definitely her favorite kind of ammo.

“Why do you refer to yourself as ‘this one’ and ‘it’?”

“For the same reason that humans are so inquisitive. It is part of our culture.” Delan sounded slightly offended that she even had to ask. “Specifically, hanar only refer to themselves in the first person with family on intimates. And we rarely do so with other species. It is just our way.

Alyss nodded in understanding.

“Show me your items, please.” She said.

“Oh, this one is pleased to do so, human. You will not be disappointed.” Delan exclaimed and led her over to the terminal.

She browsed for a little while, until she finally found a couple things she wanted to purchase: a Sitta Foundation License for the Alliance Requistion officer on the Normandy and another set of chemical rounds. She brought up her account on her omni-tool, and after transferring the required funds to Delan and acquiring her items, the three of them left the shop, with Alyss humming quietly under her breath. One could never have enough chemical rounds; whomever had discovered them was a person she wanted to meet, seeing as she never went anywhere without them.

“Return soon. This one receives new shipments regularly.”

The hanar’s voice followed the three of them out of the shop as the proceeded to their next and final destination—Sha’ira’s. They had taken forever to finish exploring, but it wasn’t like they were expected and had an appointment to keep—they were just there to calmly ask the consort to stop causing Xeltan so much distress. Alyss didn’t like to see others hurting, and if she could do something to help the upset Elcor, then their short time on the citadel would all be worth it. Sighing she straightened her shoulders and walked into Sha’ira’s. There were asari littering the room, chatting with humans and other species she noticed as the receptionist stopped the three of them after entering the premises entered.

“Welcome, I am Nelyna. I don’t recognize you as one of our expected clients today.” Shepard felt her jaw hit the floor; there were individuals that made enough to be regulars here? Nelyna continued without paying her any mind. “Would you like me to see when the Consort will be able to meet with you?”

Well that was a setback she should have foreseen with someone this popular, but she had hoped they’d just let her in to tell the high-end prostitute to stop spreading Xeltan’s secrets around, because that was completely unprofessional and uncalled for. Was she really going to have to make an appointment? This wasn’t what she wanted or planned at all; Shepard didn’t want to wait however long it took to help someone…

“Can’t I just go in?” She probably would’ve done better explaining the situation, but the thought hadn’t actually occurred to her.

Nelyna shrugged while shaking her head. “Mm, I’m afraid not. Yeah, you must understand, there are many who seek the Consort’s services. But if you wish to leave your name, she’ll make every effort to meet with you.”

Alyss rolled her eyes; she did not wish to leave her name…she didn’t even want to be here.

“What do you do here, Nelyna?”

“I am one of the Consort’s acolytes. Many of the people here today will not see the Consort, but they expect to be attended to just the same. It is our job to ensure that they leave contented.” Nelyna explained.

Alyss cocked her head to the side, this was the weirdest bullshit she’d ever heard.

“How? What exactly do you attend to?” She asked.

“Well, each acolyte has her unique abilities. Some soothe with song, others with conversation. As much as possible we seek to match the needs of our clients to the skills of our acolytes. My specialty is touch. My fingertips can find every tension point in your body…and relieve it.”

This place was odd as all hell.

“What exactly does the Consort do?”

Nelyna rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassed confusion—that wasn’t iffy at all. If you couldn’t explain what you were doing to an outsider, should you really be allowed to do it at all? The Consort was starting to sound shadier than Barla Von’s business practices, and that wasn’t sitting at all well with Alyss. She was really hoping she could leave soon; she’d find some other way to help Xeltan, but she didn’t want to stay in this building any longer—at this point, she’d rather spend an entire day with Ambassador Udina, just the two of them, then deal with this weird shit.

“It is difficult to explain. She is many things to many people, and something different for each. Some seek her for advice, some for entertainment, others still for pleasure. Most of the time, our clients won’t realize what they were seeking until after she has provided it for them.”

What did that even mean? That was probably how Sha’ira could charge so much for her services…no one knew what she really did.

“You make her sound like some kind of oracle.” Shepard shrugged.

Nelyna shook her head. “No, not in the usual sense. She is merely a woman. A woman with remarkable compassion and a generous spirit. I suggest you make an appointment and see for yourself.”

It was Alyss’ turn to shake her head; she’d find some other way to help Xeltan. “I think I’m done here.”

“Aw. Well, I hope that you will return again in the future, we always enjoy seeing new clients.”

Alyss turned, and motioned for Kaidan and Ashley to follow her out, as Nelyna put her hand to her ear, where the earpiece Sha’ira used to talk to her had crackled to life. Sha’ira had been standing on the stairs at the back of the room, concealed behind a wall after finishing up with her previous appointment, hearing everything as her acolytes tended to everyone else, and had seen the hero of the Blitz darkening her doorway. She needed that woman’s help more than she cared to admit.

“Nelyna?”

“Yes, Sha’ira?”

“Send the Commander up to see me. I wish to speak with her.”

“Yes, of course, Mistress.”

Sha’ira turned and ascended the stairs, in a slowly stately manner, her fingers trailing along the wall as she did so. Nelyna reached out to stop the woman from leaving…how had she not recognized her as the hero of the Blitz, even if she had refused to give her name? But if Sha’ira wanted to see her even without an appointment, she had to make sure Shepard didn’t leave—because it was obviously a matter of great importance.

“Huh. It appears that the Consort has taken notice of you. She’d like to meet with you now.” Nelyna clarified.

Alyss narrowed her eyes in suspicion; why was that suddenly so easy?

“What does she want to see me for?”

The receptionist shrugged, before pointing towards the back staircase.

“I don’t know, you’ll have to ask her yourself. Just head upstairs. She’ll be waiting for you.” As Kaidan and Ashley moved to follow their CO, Nelyna stuck out a hand to stop them. “She wants to see the Commander. You two will have to wait here.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Kaidan spat. “Where she goes, we go.”

Alyss smiled at his concern. “I think I’ll be all right, Alenko. Sit tight, this’ll only take a moment.”

“Relax, LT. Skipper’s not going to do anything, and she certainly won’t let the Consort do anything—you’ll be fine hanging with me for a few minutes.” Ashley offered.

Kaidan just didn’t like the idea that Alyss was going in relatively blind, considering most people couldn’t even explain what is was this woman did. Deep down he knew she’d be fine, she was the hero of the Blitz, his CO, and very capable, but he couldn’t help but fret over what could happen. Everyone on the Presidium was enamored with the Consort, and the galaxy was enamored with asari…he didn’t want her to get drawn in over her head. Alyss placed a gentle hand on his shoulder—he had nothing to worry about, she could handle herself, and one little asari if need be.

She jogged past all the clients and acolytes and up the stairs into the Consort’s private chambers; the sooner she got this over with, the better she’d feel. The door whooshed open at her approach, and she’d barely taken five steps into the room, when the Consort held up a hand for her to stop, without ever turning around. Alyss had to admit, that was impressive.

“That is close enough, Commander. I’ve heard a great many things about you since your arrival here on our Citadel.”

“You wanted to speak with me?” Alyss got right to the point.

Sha’ira turned and approached her. “I have a certain problem that could use your expertise.”

“Tell me about your problem, then.”

It was like pulling teeth to get anything out of this woman, and it was annoyingly frustrating. If she couldn’t just come out and say what she wanted, she was wasting both of their time, and neither had the time to spare. Sha’ira clasped her hands behind her back as she starting pacing back and forth. It didn’t explain why she was hurting the elcor in the process, but she did seem to be genuinely distressed, and despite all her misgivings, Alyss would help if she could—at the very least she’d be owed a favor and could ask Sha’ira to leave Xeltan alone.

“I have a friend. Septimus, a retired turian general. I won’t discuss the details, but he wanted me to be more than I could be.” Alyss kept her mouth shut; in other words, he wanted her to stop being a high-end prostitute and settle down with him…what was wrong with wanting that? “We had a falling out. Now he spends his days in Chora’s Den drinking and spreading lies about me.”

She took another step towards her, making Alyss back away—for someone who stopped her when she was barely in the room, Sha’ira was getting rather close.

“If you would speak to him as a fellow soldier, I believe he will listen to you and let the matter be.”

Sha’ira seemed unfazed at the steps she’d taken back, and closing the distance between them again before she reached up and casually placed her hand on Shepard’s face. Alyss smacked her hand away, she hadn’t given her permission to touch her or her face, and the careless way she did it, made her certain that this woman was not in the habit of asking for favors, and this was the only way to get what she wanted. It was actually kind of sad.

“I don’t make any promises, but I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you, Commander. That is all I can ask. Appeal to his sense of honor. Remind him of his position as a general.” Sha’ira closed the space again and embraced her, making Alyss stiffen, and shrug off the contact; they didn’t even know one another, why was she so touchy-feely? “If you can convince him to stop spreading lies about me, I would be very grateful. Now, I must ask you to take your leave. I have many clients waiting to see me.”

Alyss shuddered after Sha’ira turned away…she felt like she needed to shower for days…


	23. A Hearing with the Council

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard has finally made it to the Citadel Tower, and the audience chamber for her hearing with the Council, after taking her sweet time getting there. Unsurprisingly, they don't seem to care about the testimony about their best Spectre operative going rogue and pursuing his own agenda, leaving Shepard and co. to hunt down new concrete evidence.

Ambassador Udina had barred her entrance to anywhere but the tower, she realized with a dismal sigh; she got it—sometimes she got easily distracted, and this being the first time she’d been to the Citadel, he wanted to make sure she wasn’t late for her hearing with the Council. The three of them stepped into the elevator, once they’d found it, and stood in silence for a brief moment. Ashley fidgeted.

“The Council isn’t going to ask me any questions are they?” She asked suddenly.

Kaidan shook his head. “I doubt it. We’ve made our report. Now we just have to trust Ambassador Udina.”

Both women snorted in disgust; that was not a comforting thought.

“No we don’t, sir.” Ashley replied.

Kaidan smiled as he rolled his eyes. Their blatant disgust for the human Ambassador was obvious, but at least they didn’t stop him from trying to do his job, and they understood that he was an ass because of the way he and humanity was treated by the Council; he didn’t have to take his anger out on them, but such was life. The doors opened up in front of them, and squaring their shoulders, the three soldiers stepped out of the elevator, through another set of doors and into the Citadel tower; their jaws dropped in surprise at the view spread out before them.

There was a large staircase in front of them, and beyond that—past the two arguing Turians, one of which was rather familiar—jets of water shot up like geysers in the middle of a fountain, and beyond that, Alyss could faintly make out a few large trees with pink and orange leaves up another set of stairs. It was a bustle of activity. There were people just walking around, some leaned against the railing of the fountain letting it wash their cares away, and there were even a few of those weird bug things—keepers she believed someone had called them—here and there. They made their way up the stairs, and the turians’ argument could easily be overheard.

Shepard approached Executor Pallin.

“Saren’s hiding something! Give me more time. Stall them.” The other turian demanded.

He was wearing blue and black armor and the paint on his face was blue and white; his left eye was eclipsed by a blue tactical visor, probably best for lining up the perfect shot. Judging from his words, he’d been the officer in charge of the C-Sec investigation into Saren…but from the looks of it hadn’t discovered any hard evidence about said Spectre going rogue and being a loose cannon. Damn. Alyss bit her lip in frustration, an action that distracted Kaidan for a moment. Executor Pallin crossed his arms over his chestplate and glowered at the turian with the grey facial plates—that was an impossible request, and everyone knew it.

“Stall the Council? Don’t be ridiculous! Your investigation is over, Garrus.” Pallin replied.

He shook his head sadly, and turned to walk away, only giving Shepard the briefest of nods in acknowledgement of her presence. She responded in kind, before turning her attention to Garrus who had remained behind. He turned towards her and sighed, visibly upset that he hadn’t been granted a little more time—Garrus knew Saren was up to something, but he didn’t know what and that irked him. He approached the trio.

“Commander Shepard? Garrus Vakarian. I was the officer in charge of the C-Sec investigation into Saren.” He offered, reaching out to shake her hand.

Alyss smiled; she was already quite aware of that but she let it slide. “Sounds like you really want to bring him down.”

Garrus crossed his arms “I don’t trust him. Something about him rubs me the wrong way. But he’s a Spectre; everything he touches is classified. I can’t find any hard evidence.”

It was almost like the Council didn’t want him to be exposed—if they knew it was this important, why wouldn’t they give C-Sec access to the files they needed? The other option was that they didn’t know, and it was Saren who was covering his own tracks…but could the Council really be that clueless or were they turning a blind eye because they didn’t _want_ to think that anything was wrong? This was why it was a bad idea to let agents police themselves.

“I think the Council’s ready for us, Commander.” Kaidan gently reminded her.

Garrus nodded, stepping aside. “Good luck, Shepard. Maybe they’ll listen to you.”

She highly doubted it; they hadn’t so far, so she wasn’t holding her breath.

Anderson met her at the top of the third set of stairs, a grimace on his face. This wasn’t going to end well, everyone could already tell. “The hearing’s already started. Come on.”

They made their way up the final set of stairs quickly.

“The geth attack is a matter of some concern. But there is nothing to indicate Saren’s involvement in anyway.” The asari councilor was saying.

The turian councilor nodded slowly. “The investigation by Citadel Security turned up no evidence to support your charge of treason.”

It’s not like they’d exactly been forthcoming with their information in order for them to prove it, according to Garrus. Alyss crossed her arms over her chest, a tiny frown creasing her eyebrows. Why couldn’t anything ever be easy? She saw Udina clenching and unclenching his fist, like she’d done in his office when resisting the urge to sock him in the jaw—at least she wasn’t the only one frustrated with the Council’s lack of action against Saren. A rogue Spectre should not have been ignored.

“An eyewitness saw him kill Nihlus in cold blood!” Udina was fuming.

“We’ve read the Eden Prime reports, Ambassador. The testimony of one traumatized dockworker is hardly compelling proof.” The salarian councilor shook his head.

The orange and gold holo of Saren shook its head as well. “I resent these accusations. Nihlus was a fellow Spectre. And a friend.”

Alyss rolled her eyes—he may have been a friend once but that hadn’t stopped the asshole from teaming up with the geth and shooting his friend in the back of the head. But they apparently didn’t have any solid proof to make the Council see reason, and it was unfair. She sighed quietly as Anderson glared angrily at the projection from beside her.

“That just let you catch him off guard!” He exclaimed.

“Captain Anderson.” Saren sneered as if noticing him and Shepard for the first time. “You always seem to be involved when humanity makes false charges against me. And this must be your protégé, Commander Shepard. The one who let the beacon get destroyed.”

“The mission to Eden Prime was top secret. The only way you could know about the beacon was if you were there!” Alyss stated coolly.

Someone had to keep a level head here.

Saren crossed his arms over his chest. “With Nihlus gone, his files passed on to me. I read the Eden Prime report. I was unimpressed.”

Alyss bit her lower lip, she wasn’t a Spectre but she somehow doubted that was the way it worked—but the Council had their heads way too far up their asses to even really listen to what was being said and that worried her. It was like beating her head against a brick wall trying to get them to see reason. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Against all evidence—or lack thereof—one truth would prevail; it was only a matter of time.

“But what can you expect…from a _human_?” Saren continued—his voice dripping with disgust and resentment at the word 'human'. 

What a racist dipshit.

“Saren despises humanity. That’s why he attacked Eden Prime!” Alyss was shocked at her own outburst—so much for keeping a level head.

“Your species needs to learn its place, Shepard. You’re not ready to join the Council. You’re not even ready to join the Spectres!”

Saren looked so smug up there on his pedestal; what she wouldn’t give to knock that stupid grin off his face. He wouldn’t be untouchable forever. This hearing wasn’t even about her becoming a Spectre, and she hoped the Council remembered that—this was about one of their own not being on their side anymore and killing another in cold blood. Saren would get his comeuppance, if it was the last thing she did.

“He has no right to say that! That’s not his decision!” Udina cried.

“Shepard’s admission into the Spectres is not the purpose of this meeting.” The asari cut in abruptly.

Saren glowered down at her. “This meeting has no purpose. The humans are wasting your time, Councilor. And mine.”

She wished the Council would quit protecting him.

“Saren’s hiding behind his position as a Spectre. You need to open your eyes!” She implored.

“What we _need_ is evidence. So far, we have seen nothing.” The salarian replied.

“There is still one outstanding issue: Commander Shepard’s vision. It may have been triggered by the beacon.” Anderson chimed in.

Alyss put her face in her palm and pinched the bridge of her nose. She’d really been hoping they’d be able to make it through without bringing up her vision—if a testimony wasn’t solid proof, a “vision” was definitely going to be a stretch; she really hadn’t wanted to tell the Council she’d had a bad dream that may or may not have to do with Saren. Nothing had been clear the first time around, and now she was going to have to wander around as Commander Shepard the crazy. Maybe she should’ve stayed on the ship with Joker.

“Are we allowing dreams into evidence now? How can I defend my innocence against this kind of testimony?”

For once, Shepard and Saren were on the same page.

“I agree. Our judgment should be based on facts and evidence, not wild imaginings and reckless speculation.” The turian Councilor replied.

The salarian looked at her. “Do you have anything else to add, Commander Shepard?”

They weren’t going to see the truth at this particular moment, so she wasn’t going to waste her time anymore. “You’ve made your decision. I won’t waste my breath.”

All three councilors looked back and forth between each other in silent communication, until the turian shook his head. The other two nodded in agreement, though what had passed between them was anyone’s guess now; it wasn’t like they felt the need to share with the rest of the people gathered there, so Alyss just shrugged her shoulders in momentary defeat. She’d back down for a little while, but when she got the evidence she needed, she’d be a force to be reckoned with. She’d go along with their little games for now, but she would not roll over and play dead.

“The Council has found no evidence of any connection between Saren and the geth. Ambassador, your petition to have him disbarred from the Spectres is denied.” The asari told them, making Udina hang his head dejectedly.

Saren grinned. “I’m glad to see justice was served.”

His image fizzled out.

“This meeting is adjourned.”

Udina was the only one who remained; Anderson, Shepard, Kaidan and Ashley were one hundred percent happy to be away from the Council and their nonsense, leaving the platform immediately. It hadn’t gone quite like they planned but they still had time to turn this around. It wasn’t like they really need the Council’s permission, but it helped to not burn bridges. Saren would fall even if they had to chase him to the ends of the galaxy and back, it just might not be a Council-sanctioned mission. Udina met them at the bottom of the stairs. That meeting could’ve gone better…

“It was a mistake bringing you into that hearing, Captain. You and Saren have too much history. It made the Council question our motives.” Udina sounded ridiculously frustrated at the outcome.

Anderson shook his head. “I know Saren. He’s working with the geth for one reason: to exterminate the entire human race. Every colony we have is at risk. Every world we control is in danger. Even Earth isn’t safe.”

“What is this history between you and Saren?” She asked.

“I worked with him on a mission a long time ago. Things went bad. Real bad. We shouldn’t talk about this here. But I know what he’s like. And he has to be stopped.” He paced back and forth wringing his hands.

“We need to deal with Saren ourselves.”

Udina put his chin in his hand. “As a Spectre, he’s virtually untouchable. We need to find some way to expose him.”

Kaidan stepped forward, close enough for Alyss to feel the prickle of his biotics; she bit her lip. “What about Garrus, that C-Sec investigator? We saw him arguing with the executor.”

Ashley nodded. “That’s right! He was asking for more time to finish his report. Seems like he was close to finding something on Saren.”

“Any idea where we could find him?” Alyss could use all the help she could get.

Udina nodded. “I have a contact in C-Sec who can help us track Garrus down. His name is Harkin.”

Anderson’s eyes went wide and he shook his head. “Forget it. They suspended Harkin last month. Drinking on the job. I won’t waste my time with that loser.”

Ambassador Udina crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head as well; he wasn’t going to let the Council use his history with Saren against them again. He needed the next hearing to go smoothly, and this was the only way he could think to control it and tilt the odds in their favor. Alyss frowned. If Anderson really had history with Saren, it wasn’t right to cut him out of the investigation, not if it could help him bring Saren’s past crimes to light.

“You won’t have to. I don’t want the Council using your past history with Saren as an excuse to ignore anything we turn up. Shepard will handle this.” He replied.

Anderson deserved better than this.

“You can’t just cut Captain Anderson out of this investigation.”

“The ambassador’s right. I need to step aside.” The words tasted bitter.

“I need to take care of some business. Captain, meet me in my office later.” Udina added brusquely.

Anderson nodded. He turned back to her after the Ambassador left them alone—while it sucked not being involved in taking Saren down, if anyone could find the evidence they were looking for and bring him down, it was Shepard. He trusted her implicitly. There was nothing this woman couldn’t do when she put her mind to it, and maybe with her directly involved in the investigation, they would finally yield some positive results.

“Harkin’s probably getting drunk at Chora’s Den. It’s a dingy little club in the lower section of the wards.” He told her.

“You don’t think much of Harkin.”

Anderson shook his head. “The guy joined C-Sec about twenty years ago. He’s been an embarrassment to our species ever since. Roughing up suspects in custody, bribery accusations, alcohol and drug use. The embassy used to step in whenever he got in trouble, but I guess enough was enough.”

If he was that awful, why protect him at all?

“The guy’s a scumbag. He should’ve been cut loose a long time ago.” She muttered.

“He was one of the first human C-Sec officers. Guess it would’ve looked bad if he got fired. A lot of backroom deals were worked out over the years to keep him on the force. Politics is a dirty business sometimes.” Anderson shrugged. “But it looks like his time’s run out. We’ve got enough humans in C-Sec now to stop protecting him.”

It was Alyss’ turn to shrug—if everything Anderson said about him was true, if there was another lead, she’d take it. “Maybe there’s another way to find evidence against Saren.”

“You should talk to Barla Von over in the financial district. Rumor has it he’s an agent for the Shadow Broker.”

“The Shadow Broker?” Ashley voiced Alyss’ thoughts exactly.

“An information dealer. Buys and sells secrets to the highest bidder. I’ve heard Barla Von’s one of the top representatives. He might know something about Saren, but his information won’t come cheap.”

“Tell me more about the Shadow Broker.”

“He’s a necessary evil of galactic politics. Buying and sell information is a part of the game, and the Shadow Broker just happens to be the best player on the field. Always sells to the highest bidder. Doesn’t get involved in politics. Doesn’t pick sides. A simple system, but it works. He’s not a threat to anyone. Not directly. He’s just a resource we can use. Or she is. Or maybe they are. Nobody really knows.” He explained.

Barla Von hadn’t mentioned that buying and selling secrets was a part of his shady business—maybe they did need to have another chat…and soon.

“Tell me more about Barla Von.”

Anderson raised an eyebrow. “He specializes in moving large sums of money without leaving a paper trail. A financial genius. Doesn’t do anything illegal, but he knows all the loopholes. He’s got an impressive client list: ambassadors, diplomats, Spectres. That’s probably why the Shadow Broker uses him.”

And who knew what would happen if he crossed the Broker by telling her all the ins and outs of his job…

“Our Ambassador doesn’t seem to get along with the Council.”

“He’s just frustrated. The Council’s always preaching that we need to be part of the galactic community. But for them it’s a one-way street. They want us to expand and settle unstable regions like the Skyllian Verge and the Attican Traverse. But when we run into trouble, they don’t want to help us out. Everyone knows it’s only a matter of time until we get a seat on the Council. The Ambassador just thinks it should happen sooner rather than later. And I agree.” Anderson shrugged.

They were far too independent as it was, which is why none of the other species liked them too much—they had just kind of bulldozed their way onto the Citadel, over everyone else nineteen years ago, according to Avina. Why should they get special treatment so soon after their arrival? It wasn’t fair to everyone else.

“Maybe they’d let us join the Council if we were more willing to cooperate with the other species.”

“Of course they would!” He scoffed as he started pacing back and forth again. “If we did everything they told us to, they’d love to have us on the Council. But it wouldn’t be much of a deal for us. I understand their side. They don’t want us dominating the Council. It’s founded on cooperation and alliances. But we have to look out for our own interests too!”

Alyss scrunched up her nose.

“So what actually happened in this history you have with Saren?”

If anything could help her figure out exactly who she was trying to take down, it was knowing everything about him, no matter how inconsequential it seemed. With Udina gone, Anderson relaxed. The Ambassador didn’t know all the nitty-gritty details, and it was better that way. No one believed his story anyways, but if anyone did, it would be Shepard, and that was a comforting thought. He nodded slowly at her.

“About twenty years ago, I was part of a mission in the Skyllian Verge. I was working with Saren to find and remove a known terrorist threat. Saren eliminated his target. But a lot of people died along the way. Innocent people. And the official records just covered it all up. But I saw how he operates. No conscience. No hesitation. He’d kill a thousand innocent civilians to end a war without a second thought.” He stared sadly at the ground.

Saren was a monster.

“Killing innocents doesn’t end wars. It causes them.” Alyss put a comforting hand on her mentor’s shoulder.

“I know how the world works, Commander. Sometimes you’re forced to make unpleasant decisions. But only if there’s no other way. Saren doesn’t even look for another option. He’s twisted, broken. He likes the violence, the killing. And he knows how to cover his tracks.”

Once she’d knocked Saren down a peg, maybe he’d finally give her the specifics she was asking for…

“I want to know more about the Spectres.”

“They’re not your typical government agency. They tend to work alone, behind the scenes. They take care of problems the Council can’t. It’s not easy preserving peace across the galaxy. The Council prefers to use diplomacy and negotiations, but sometimes more extreme measures are needed.”

“How do they decide who becomes a Spectre?”

“You can’t just apply to join. There’s no training program. Spectres aren’t made—they’re born. The Council’s always looking for exceptional individuals. People who can get the job done, like you. They’ve been watching you for years.” Nihlus had put her name forward _years_ ago? “They see something in you. They want you on their side. Nihlus was supposed to give them a final recommendation, but with him gone, things are still up in the air.”

She realized how much she owed Nihlus for giving her this chance, and he was no longer around for her to thank him from the bottom of her heart about how much this opportunity meant to her…and it was all Saren’s fault. If she’d needed another reason to have him disbarred from the Spectres that was it. She sighed.

“What’s their command structure like?”

“There is no command structure. Each Spectre answers directly to the Council. Sometimes they’re sent on specific missions. Other times they act on their own. They tend to operate outside the law. Do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals. And the Council just turns a blind eye. Spectres have a lot of power, Shepard.”

“What happens when a Spectre goes rogue, like Saren?”

Anderson shook his head. “It doesn’t happen often. The Council is careful when they select their candidates. But when something does go wrong, there’s usually only one solution: send another Spectre to take the rogue agent down.”

So Jenkins was right after all, it seemed, but none of this sounded legal…did she really want to be a Spectre now that she was hearing all the details? Alyss liked to think she wouldn’t compromise her integrity to get the job done, and she’d never harm anyone to get what she wanted, but that was way too much power for one person to have. And absolute power, corrupted absolutely as the saying went…Hopefully Joker, Kaidan, Ashley, Chakwas, Adams, and Pressly would keep her grounded if and when her candidacy went through.

“They sound like shadow operatives.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Everything about them is classified. We don’t even know how many there are. The latest alliance estimate puts their numbers under a hundred. But the Council couldn’t do its job without them. They’re the Citadel’s top agents. The last line of defense. The final option before open war. The entire galaxy respects and fears them. If a Spectre shows up, you know something big is about to happen.” Like when Nihlus showed up on the Normandy—everyone was jazzed about having a Spectre on board, because it meant their shakedown run was much more than it appeared.

She’d wasted too much time as it was with her questions. “I should go.”

He nodded. “Good luck. Shepard. I’ll be over in the ambassador’s office if you need anything else.”

He gave her the smallest flicker of a smile, before turning on his heels and descending the steps from the audience chamber. Sighing slightly, and running a hand through her hair, she turned to Ashley and Kaidan, before jogging down the steps as well. They didn’t have much time, and she’d start by speaking with Harkin first—after all she’d been dying to head down into the wards and see what it was like. It wasn't like they couldn’t visit Barla Von too—the more evidence they had the better it would be and the harder it would be for the Council to ignore their accusations. There was a Salarian hanging around one of the illusive keepers as they made it down the first set of stairs, acting rather dodgy.

“That guy’s up to something.” Ashley muttered.

Kaidan tore his gaze away from his CO as he jogged behind her. “What guy?”

Ashely smirked and rolled her eyes at him. “The one over by the keeper.”

The salarian jumped back as they approached wiping the sweat off his brow and quickly closing his omni-tool. “What? Oh. No. I wasn’t—never mind. Um, yes, is there something you want?”

Alyss raised an eyebrow; why was he following the keepers? “Why are you so interested in the keepers?”

He shook his head quickly. “Keepers? I’ve got no interest in the kee—”

“Don’t get coy. I know what I saw.” Ashley cut him off.

He sighed loudly, and began wringing his hands together as he glanced around. After making sure no one was around his attention returned to the people in front of him—they didn’t look to unfriendly, and maybe they could help him seeing as they’d just come from the audience chamber. Maybe they could get places where he couldn’t…

“I…uh. I’m not so sure I should be talking to you about this.”

Alyss sent his a dazzlingly brilliant smile—the one she liked to use to get people to open up to her. Kaidan felt his heart palpitate—part of him couldn’t wait to be on the receiving end of one of those someday. But for now he was content that he could see it at all. It obviously worked as the salarian seemed to visibly relax in their presence and he’d stopped looking around for whatever might’ve come around the corner to get him in trouble.

“Just tell me what you’re doing. I’m not here to get you into trouble.” Shepard assured him.

He nodded slowly. “All right. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to tell you. My name’s Chorban and I’m using a small scanner to gather readings on the keepers. So far, I’ve had mixed results. I find it difficult to get near the creatures.”

“Why were you being so secretive about it, though?”

“Well, technically we’re not supposed to disturb the keepers. I don’t really think my scanning disturbs them, but the authorities might disagree. I’d like to do it more openly, but it’s not really worth getting arrested over.” Chorban explained.

“I could help you out, if you wish. I’m not worried about the authorities.”

Chorban looked at her, skepticism written all over his face as he put his chin in his hand. “I don’t even know who you are.”

Well that was definitely a first since her arrival on the Citadel, and she was pleasantly surprised; Chorban had to be the first person who hadn’t recognized her on sight. What she wouldn’t give to have more people fail to recognize her as Commander Alyss Divinity Shepard, hero of the Blitz and receiver of the Star of Terra. She smiled again.

“I’m Commander Shepard, with the Alliance military.”

Still nothing.

Chorban just shrugged. “Hmm. Well, I suppose I could use the help. You’ll need this. It’s the scanning device I developed. Activate it each time you see a keeper. All collected data will automatically upload to my database. I’ll even send a few credits your way for each unique scan.”

“What are you doing with the data once you’ve scanned it?” She asked.

“Trying to learn whatever I can about the keepers. We see them working everywhere, yet we know so little about them. I’m a scientist. I want to know what makes them tick.”

That was something Alyss herself could understand; she nodded. “I should get going, then.”

“Yes. I have much work myself. So long. And good luck with the scanning.” He told her.

“I can’t believe the Council ignored all the evidence against Saren!” Ashley cried, when the three of them were safely behind the closed glass door of the elevator back to the Presidium.

“Saren’s one of their best operatives. It’s only natural that they’d take his side over ours.”

With Kaidan as the voice of reason, Alyss didn’t think she’d have any problems staying on the straight and narrow when she was finally a Spectre. The thought made her smile. They’d get to spend more time together after all, and just that notion made her actually excited for the first time that everyone had been pushing her towards this. Ashley growled, bringing her back to reality as she crossed her arms over her chest in barely-contained anger.

“Oh, so now we just chase leads while this smug turian runs around with his geth troopers.” She snarled.

Kaidan shrugged. “That’s politics, Chief.”

“I hate politics.” Ashley replied.

Kaidan and Alyss chuckled in unison.


	24. All for the Love of a Woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio heads to Chora's den to find Harkin, who can give them a clue to Garrus' location--the one person who can probably help them with their investigation into Saren. Along the way they run into an ambush planted by Saren, a very angry krogan in maroon armor (;P) as well as figuring out that all they secrets surrounding the Asari Consort, aren't nearly as black and white as they thought...

“In light of the recent attack on Eden Prime, many colonial investors are pulling their support for future projects. Proponents of expanded human colonization insist that Eden Prime was an isolated case. Nevertheless, colonist enrollment has dropped sharply. Many colonial proposals are on hold until backers have some reassurance that human colonies will be adequately protected.”

Alyss scrunched up her nose as she listened to the news announcer; so far Eden Prime was an isolated case. If Saren got to continue on this path of destruction, it really was only a matter of time if he hated humans as much as Anderson said he did. Which is why she didn’t like that the Council was dragging this out. Eventually it wouldn’t just be the human colonies in danger, but all of them. As the trio made their way through the wards access corridor and into a second elevator, they overheard a conversation about taking down Fist’s supplier. Alyss didn’t need to know who Fist was to know that something big was about to go down.

“A salarian excavation team has run into an unexpected problem after unearthing a Prothean dig site. Hanar protesters have blockaded the dig site, claiming that artifacts of ‘the Enkindlers’, as the hanar call them, should not be disturbed. The excavation team has appealed to hanar representatives on the Citadel to reach a diplomatic solution.”

Shepard made an unladylike snort in the back of her throat; this is what the embassies were having to spend their time dealing with? Really? When the entire galaxy could be at the mercy of a rogue turian Spectre—ignorance really must be bliss.

They stepped off the elevator, with two doors looming up ahead of her; one off to the right, and one straight ahead. Did one station really need this many doors hiding secrets? She veered to the right and opened that one, which opened onto a long red hallway, which she followed, quickly scanned a keeper on her way and emerged on a balcony overlook. A shot exploded against her armor, and Ashley, Kaidan and herself, all pulled out their weapons as they ducked behind a low wall for cover.

“That’s her!” Someone cried.

The trio made quick work of the turian assassins—they’d really never stood a chance. She frowned at the superfluous loss of life. It was one more thing on the list against him. However using chemical rounds to disintegrate her targets might come back to bite her in the ass, because there was no trace that they’d been attacked now. It wasn’t ideal, but she just had a feeling that even without the assassins to show for it, they’d get the proof they needed.

“Those were Saren’s men.” Kaidan muttered.

Ashley poked her head up—there had apparently only been two. “All clear, Commander.”

Nodding, they all holstered their weapons, and continued on their way to Chora’s den. With the music spilling out into the corridor, it was fairly obvious why no one had come out to investigate the sound of gunshots. The neon asari sign, hanging to the left of the door only served to increase her misgivings about this club—she wished they’d headed for Flux first for some gambling and dancing, but they had to find Harkin to find Garrus; they didn’t have the luxury of time. The doors slid open at their approach.

Alyss squinted in the dim red light, looking around for their two targets—a turian general and an ex C-Sec officer, as she ignored the asari and human women dancing, on platforms, people and tables. They hadn’t been given any descriptions of either of them, but Shepard knew them when she saw them. Harkin, was wearing the standard C-Sec blues as he sat alone at a table, and was grumpily drinking a beer with three empty bottles on the table in front on him. Septimus on the other hand, even sitting and drinking, carried himself like a high ranking official—like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, just like any other soldier. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and started towards Harkin. In the hallway behind him, there was a commotion.

Two krogan, one with blue armor, and a black head plate was being threatened by another in maroon armor and a red brow plate, and four long jagged scars running parallel to each other down the right side of his face. The bouncer seemed to be just as angry as the other, and Shepard wouldn’t be surprised if they started head-butting each other in a matter of seconds. The bouncer shoved the other Krogan violently away from him.

“Back off, Wrex. Fist told us to take you down if you showed up.” He snarled.

Wrex shrugged. “What are you waiting for? I’m standing right here. This is Fist’s only chance. If he’s smart, he’ll take it.”

“He’s not coming out, Wrex. End of story.” The bouncer growled as he shook his head emphatically.

Wrex leaned forward ominously.

“This story is just beginning.” He turned angrily and started to stalk away angrily, accidentally bumping Alyss’s shoulder as he passed making her stumble backwards into Kaidan. “Out of my way, humans. I have no quarrel with you.”

“What was that all about?” Kaidan asked, helping her right herself and brush off.

Ashley shrugged. “Who knows? Let’s just try not to get caught in the middle.”

Alyss nodded slowly, watching the Krogan leave—they could use someone like that on their team. But at the moment she, needed to bring down Saren and that was the only thing that mattered. She cautiously approached the bouncer that had just been in the quarrel, but he held out a hand to stop her from going through the door he was standing next to. Obviously he wasn’t going to let her into the back room either, however she wasn’t here for whoever this Fist guy was.

“The back rooms are private. Reserved for Fist and his friends.” The krogan rumbled.

“Who’s Fist?”

The bouncer shrugged. “He owns this club. But the customers have to stay out front.”

“What did that other krogan want? Wrex?”

“Personal matter.”

“Not real chatty is he?” Ashley mumbled from behind her.

Alyss had to hold in a snort of laughter. “Goodbye.”

“Enjoy the club.” He growled, before waving her away with his hand.

They definitely weren’t going to get any answers from him, so Alyss shrugged and stepped away slowly, going back down the short hallway to where they came from, and approached the human in the casual blues. Harkin glanced up at her blearily as she approached his table. It didn’t take a moment for a lecherous grin to spread across his face when he took in the wisps of black hair framing her face, red lips, and dark grey shadowed eyes, as he motioned for her to sit down next to him, making her wrinkle her nose in disgust. She preferred to remain standing.

“Hey there, sweetheart. You looking for some fun? ‘Cause I gotta say, that soldier getup looks real good on that bod of yours.” Harkin slurred. “Why don’t you sit your sweet little ass down beside old Harkin? Have a drink and we’ll see where this goes.”

Kaidan glared at him; Harkin didn’t get to talk to her like that. She was a woman of class and distinction and worthy of respect and the sight of the other man leering at her like he was undressing her with his eyes, was enough to send him over the edge. Kaidan flared blue in anger as Alyss put her hand on her hip. The prickle of his biotics at her back drew her attention, and she turned to put her other hand gently on his shoulder in wordless thanks, but she would be fine—after all, she was a biotic too, though the fact that he’d wanted to defend her honor like that made her feel all tingly inside. She normally liked being told she was pretty, but not like this; Kaidan relaxed at the feel of her biotics pulsing in time with his and he backed down…she hadn’t flared once—her control was amazing. He’d wanted to let loose a full biotic kick right in Harkin’s smug face, like he had so many years ago with Vyrnnus, but the fact that she was used to being objectified like this and never let it get to her, made him uneasy.

She deserved better.

Alyss rolled her eyes. “Maybe later.”

Harkin shrugged, the grin fading fast. “Suit yourself, Princess. You know, if more marines looked like you, I might’ve joined the Alliance instead of C-Sec.”

And gotten kicked right out.

“Harkin, right? I was told you could help me find someone. A turian C-Sec officer named Garrus.” Alyss jumped right to the point; the sooner she was out of his company the better she’d feel.

Harking chuckled. “Garrus? Ha! You must be one of Captain Anderson’s crew. Poor bastard’s still trying to take Saren down, eh? I know where Garrus is. But you gotta tell me something first. Did the captain let you in on his big secret?”

Alyss knew she shouldn’t let him get under her skin and she should just let everything he was saying roll off her back, because there was a seventy percent chance he was a liar and ridiculously drunk. But dammit if she wasn’t curious now. She could always ask Anderson about whatever it was and she knew she’d get absolute honesty. She’d know him for eleven years, he was good friends with her mother and father, and he was more than just her mentor; he was her friend and she like to think she knew everything about him. She shrugged.

“Is there something I should know about the captain?” Her tone was cautious; she was probably going to take everything he said with a grain of salt, anyways.

“The captain used to be a Spectre. Didn’t know that, did you? It was all very hush-hush. The first human ever given that honor. And then he blew it.” Harkin sneered. “Screwed up his mission so bad they kicked him out. Of course, he blames Saren. Says the turian set him up.”

Shepard glowered at him. “ _If_ that’s true, why’d they kick him out?”

“Have to ask him. I never heard any of the details. Bet it’s a good story, though. The Hero’s fall. Classic tragedy. Ha!”

He was really starting to rub Alyss the wrong way; she flared blueish-purple for a split second, before regaining her composure. Harkin hadn’t noticed, but Ashley and Kaidan had—she kept her cool when he was leering at her but the moment he said something bad about Anderson, she lost her cool. That was a very admirable quality about her.

“You said they covered all this up. How did you hear about it?”

“I spent twenty years working cases here on the Citadel. People on this station love to talk. Secrets are like herpes. If you got ‘em you might as well spread ‘em around.”

This man was a disgusting pig.

Alyss held up her right hand; this wasn’t why she was here. “Just tell me where Garrus went.”

“Garrus was sniffing around Doctor Michel’s office. She runs the med clinic on the other side of the wards. Last I heard he was going back there.”

“What’s it like working for C-Sec?”

Harkin scowled up at her. “You mean what was it like. The executor suspended me without pay—recurring violations. C-Sec was keeping a file on me. Can you believe that? Every mistake I ever made went into the books. Get a little rough with a suspect, note in the file. Have a couple drinks on duty, note in the file. Skim a couple credits off a drug bust, note in the file. It’s a goddamned witch hunt.”

Served him right. He was not helping his case at all, and Alyss didn’t care one iota about his problems—the scumbag had brought all this on himself. She couldn’t figure out why they’d fought so hard to keep him on the force, when he should’ve been cut loose a long time ago; that was not how she’d want her species to be represented. Even Udina was better than this, and she would be the first to say she wasn’t the Ambassador’s biggest fan.

“You got off easy, if you ask me.”

“What the hell do you know? Working for C-Sec isn’t like being a marine. People get pissed off if we shoot somebody. Investigations, inquiries, rules, regulations. Every day I plow through enough red tape to choke a rhino. That’s how you gotta be to do this job. So don’t talk to me about right and wrong. You soldiers got it easy.” Harkin cried.

He worked on the Citadel; he shouldn’t have to shoot anyone—the wards may been awful, but violence and death was never necessary. He needed to quit blaming others for why he’d been let go. He hadn’t needed to take everything to the extremes, but he had and he was going to have to deal with the consequences of his actions. She didn’t feel sorry for him in the slightest.

“You need to look in a mirror. Sober up, and take some responsibility for yourself!”

“Save you sermons. This ain’t no church.”

“I’m out of here.” Alyss scoffed turning her back on the drunken asshole, and heading for General Septimus as she heard Harkin order another round.

“Yeah. Good. Go. Let me drink in peace.” He muttered darkly.

After talking to Harkin, Alyss once again she felt like she needed to shower for days; the guy was a complete creep, and she fully got why Anderson hadn’t wanted to waste time on him—at least he’d been able to point her in Garrus’s direction. She rolled her shoulders. She wasn’t going to let one asshole get under her skin, she had a very important job to do while she was here, and she was going to do it. General Septimus, glanced up at her approach.

“Commander? Hmph. What do you want?” He grumbled.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s bothering you, General?”

He leaned forward, and placed his left hand on his knee as he shook his head slowly. “I’ve seen a lot of horrible things in my days and there’s only one woman in this damn galaxy that helps me forget it.”

Alyss sat down in the chair across from him, ignoring the fact that the pulsating bass boost and the rotating neon red lights were starting to give her a headache—they’d be out of this dingy little club soon enough. Kaidan’s eyebrows knit together in confusion—he’d never once said anything awful about Rahna after she’d spurned him and ran away frightened, so why did Septimus think that was okay? Maybe chivalry really was dead. It wouldn’t be the first time in history someone thought it was okay to slander a person they felt did them wrong, but Sha’ira really didn’t owe him anything.

“So if you feel that way, then why spread lies about her.” Kaidan was having a tough time controlling his anger.

“’Cause she rejected me. Me! Septimus Oraka, general of the turian fleet!” He cried.

Red lips opened in an ‘o’ shape. He had once been on top of the world, used to having everything he wanted laying at his feet, and then one day, it all came crashing down around him, when the one thing he wanted, didn’t want him back. She understood—it was still no excuse, but she understood why he was doing this. His world had crumbled and he’d taken it out on Sha’ira—the Citadel was a messed up place; first the elcor and Sha’ira, then Sha’ira and Septimus—why couldn’t these people keep their personal live private?

“I think I can see why you’re upset, but spreading these lies won’t make it better.” She shook her head slowly.

Septimus rolled his eyes. “Look, kid, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but don’t waste your time.” He replied.

No one had called her kid since she was fifteen…

“General, did you ever win a battle by moping in a bar?” Maybe if she could put this in terms he’d understand he’d back off—he needed to straighten up and get his act together.

He chuckled slowly under his breath as he leaned back to recline against the seat. “Ha, war! That’s what this feels like all right. How did I let it come to this? So you think it’s that easy? Just straighten up and act like a general?”

“I don’t think it could hurt.” Kaidan interjected

Septimus nodded appreciatively. “Huh. Maybe you’re right, Commander. Sha’ira’s worth the effort…even if she won’t have me back.”

“This is no place for someone of your stature, General.” Alyss gave him the same dazzling smile she’d used earlier on Chorban to get him to trust her; it worked like a charm once again.

“All right. I’ll go to her…after I’ve had a cold shower. Or two.” He paused, before looking her up and down—sizing her up. “Say, you’re a bright kid. Would you be interested in earning a few extra credits?”

She _was_ saving up for a new pistol…

“What do you want me to do?”

“There’s an elcor diplomat out there who believes Sha’ira gave up his secrets.” Septimus continued.

Kaidan, Ashley and Alyss all arched an eyebrow—he was talking about Xeltan…he had to be.

“Why does he think that?” Kaidan asked suspiciously.

“Because I told him. Look, I just need you to convince him of the truth.”

She shook her head. She hadn’t been trying to help the elcor because of money, she’d been trying to help him because it was the right thing to do—she’d just have to dip into her savings for her pistol; there was no way she was going to accept credits to do a good deed. Septimus had gone to great lengths to frame Sha’ira of wrongdoings, and Alyss realized with a start she may have misjudged the asari; a fact she didn’t like at all. The woman was still way to touchy-feely for her taste, but apparently she wasn’t so awful…she hoped that it was all worth it for Septimus to have dragged so many people into his personal life—people who didn’t deserve to be used in this way.

“How do you expect me to do that?”

“You’ll bring him proof. Take this datapad. It shows where I got my info. It will exonerate Sha’ira and convince the elcor.” He replied, producing a small datapad from a hidden panel in his armor.

Alyss nodded slowly as she reached out to take it. “Who am I taking it to and where is he?”

Though she had a feeling she already knew.

“His name is Xeltan. He’s an elcor diplomat. He’s over in the embassies complaining about Sha’ira.” He raised his glass in a toast. “Well. Here’s to soldiers acting like soldiers. Thanks, Commander. You know…you might make a good general yourself one day.”

Kaidan and Ashley didn’t doubt it for a second. Nodding to the trio, Septimus vacated his chair and proceeded them out of the club; Alyss heaved a large sigh and headed that way as well, happy to get away from the awful headache-inducing light show. Kaidan shook his head, trying to figure out what exactly they had just thrown themselves into. The secrets and intrigue they’d run into in the past couple hours was enough to make his head spin.

“Hard to imagine a general like that getting so upset about a woman.” He muttered.

Ashley grinned at him teasingly. “That’s because you don’t understand women, Kaidan.”

Kaidan scowled at her.

“Why didn’t Captain Anderson tell us he used to be a Spectre?” Ashley asked as they left the sights and sounds of Chora’s Den behind them.

He shrugged. “Maybe it’s not true. Harkin’s an ass. I bet he’s just messing with our heads.”

“You’re probably right. Still, I’d like to hear what the captain has to say about all this.” She nodded slowly before she leaned in towards him, making sure to whisper so Shepard couldn’t hear. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you losing control back there with the way he was talking to Skipper. You like her.”

Kaidan blushed.


	25. The Quarian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard and company, are well on their way to getting Saren kicked out of the Spectres, but there is one crucial piece of evidence they still need and that evidence rests in the hands of 'the quarian.' Garrus and Wrex join in the fun in the race against the clock--with a cameo from everyone's favorite fanboy: Conrad Verner, and a cutie patootie little flirting scene between Commander Shepard and Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko--I couldn't help myself; it's one of my favorite scenes in the first game

“Hello there! Welcome to Morlan’s famous shop. You want many good supplies, yes?” A jumpy salarian shop owner called out to them as they approached.

“Let me see what you have.”

He rubbed his hands together. “Oh, you will be pleased, I think. Very good things I have, you will see.”

Alyss browsed through the items at his little kiosk set up down in the wards, ignoring how shifty the salarian seemed; she’d already been attacked by assassins down here in the wards, so maybe she was just on edge. Everyone else might be too. At least the Salarian had an Elanus Risk Control license for the requisition officer aboard the Normandy, as well as an armor upgrade that could hold more medigel…two things she desperately needed. Smiling, she transferred the necessary credits and asked that they be delivered to the Normandy as soon as possible. She couldn’t wait to get back and tinker with things.

She found her way up some stairs after leaving Morlan’s shop, which would hopefully take her where she needed to go—Harkin hadn’t exactly told her where Dr. Michel’s clinic was. As she made her way up the stairs she accidentally bumped into a blonde haired man with crystal clear blue eyes and a goatee; his eyes widened in recognition as she apologized profusely and helped him to brush himself off. He rubbed the back of his neck in excited embarrassment.

“Is that really…wow! It’s you!” He exclaimed, bowing his head in awe. “You’re Commander Shepard, the hero of Eden Prime! I am so honored to meet you!”

Alyss gave him a dazzlingly smile as she reached out to shake his hand. “Nice to meet you. And you are…?”

He didn’t want to let go of her hand—he was finally meeting the hero of the blitz and Eden Prime in person; it was a dream come true for him. “My name is Conrad. Conrad Verner. They say you killed more than a hundred geth on Eden Prime.”

Alyss rolled her eyes. It hadn’t been about killing geth it had been about extracting the beacon and saving the colony—she just happened to kill any geth she’d run into along the way. She was only trying to help as many people as she could get out of there alive. Kaidan and Ashley had to contain their chuckles…it looked like their Commander had a serious fanboy, and knowing Shepard, she wasn’t going to do anything about it which would only serve to exacerbate his fascination with her. Or the idea of her…

“I spent most of my time trying to stay alive and help the colonists.” She shrugged.

Conrad rubbed the back of his neck again. “Hey, I know you’re probably busy, but do you have time for a quick autograph?”

She reached out and took the notepad he’d produced from his pocket—he’d obviously been researching something or writing something and waiting for inspiration to hit…why else would he be carrying this around. He couldn’t have come to the Citadel just because he knew she was heading there, and was loitering around somewhere hoping for a chance she’d bump into him…right? He was just a harmless fan, it couldn’t hurt to indulge him a little. She shook her head ever so slightly as she signed her name with a flourish. She actually didn’t get asked for her autograph every day, so it was a nice change of pace.

“Anything for a fan. Here.” She said, handing it back to him.

Conrad grinned.

“Thanks. I really appreciate it. My wife is going to be so impressed! I’ll let you get back to work, but next time you’re on Earth, I’d love to buy you a drink! Thanks again!” He told her, before turning and walking off.

Alyss didn’t have the heart to tell him she didn’t get to Earth nearly as much as she’d like, if at all. Shrugging she turned to explore, and found herself in a little market area, with a human complaining to a turian merchant about a refund, salarians and other turians milling about, some human and some asari drinking in the sights. She could get used to this. The outside world didn’t exist—Saren wasn’t a threat to these people and their happy little lives. She approached a volus merchant bereft of customers at the moment. 

“Hello, Earth-clan. No doubt you’ve just come back from the colonies. Will you be needing supplies?” He asked.

She cocked her head to the side. “What colonies are you talking about?”

“Oh, my mistake, Earth-clan. I assumed…” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Feros, Noveria? Well, if you haven’t heard of them yet, I’m sure you will soon. But it doesn’t matter where you hail from, my goods are available to all.”

She knew the names, but not much else, having never been there before.

“What can you tell me about Noveria?” She asked, leaning on the counter.

The volus inhaled. “The corporate capital of the Attican Traverse. Very cold, very snowy. I don’t get too many clients from there. They all have their own private suppliers.”

Alyss nodded in understanding. “I’d like to know more about Feros.”

“It’s an old Prothean world. Their buildings still litter the surface. The humans aren’t the first to colonize it, but they are the most recent.” Expat took a moment to think. “Hmm. I just realized I haven’t heard from my contact on that planet for some time. Ah, well. I’m sure he’s fine.”

It was odd, but sometimes people were just busy, so Alyss decided to think nothing of it. There wasn’t much she could do for them while she was still grounded until she found Garrus or talked to Barla Von, then hopefully Captain Anderson, the crew, and herself could get on with stopping Saren and saving the galaxy from the threat he posed. If they had time, she would see if she could stop by Feros and deliver some good news back to Expat about his contact. For the moment, she was hoping to see if he had any licenses she could buy, like maybe an Elkoss Combine one. The Normandy Quartermaster would be swimming in them soon if she could help it.

“Show me what you’ve got.”

Behind the suit she was sure he was grinning. “Most excellent. I am sure you will find something pleasing.”

“Commander Shepard? Excuse me, Commander Shepard!”

A woman with short chin-length black hair was calling out to her and frantically waving her hands above her head to try and get Alyss’ attention, after leaving Expat’s Imports, and making her way through a door past the upper ward markets. From that far away she’d recognized her? That was quite impressive, so Alyss made her way over to where the woman was standing.

The two women shook hands briefly, before she jumped right in. “I’m Emily Wong. I’m an investigative journalist working here on the Citadel. Could I have a moment of your time?”

Alyss nodded. “What do you need?”

“I’ve been hunting for evidence of corruption and organized crime on the Citadel, but there are places I can’t go.” She was wringing her hands. “I was hoping you might share anything you find during your own investigation. I can make it worth your time.”

Shepard raised an eyebrow. “How do you know that my investigation is going to uncover anything you need?”

Emily smirked. “You wouldn’t be investigating if it weren’t big. And if it’s big, it’s something I’d like to hear about.”

Alyss smiled; Emily had her there. It wasn’t like she’d been to the Citadel before, and the moment she showed up she had a meeting with the Council, who sent her to look around in every nook and cranny for evidence. Word had to have gotten around the Commander Shepard was not only investigating something, but that she had clearance to go everywhere to find what she needed. Emily’s skills as a journalist were well-earned.

“You’ve got to have access to better sources. Why contact me?”

Wong shrugged. “I’m using every source I can find, but I think I’ve got a better shot with you. I’ve read your file. If anyone is going to uncover corruption here, it’s the hero of the Skyllian Blitz.”

Shepard winced.

“How do you know I’m investigating anything here on the Citadel?” She covered, hoping no one had noticed.

“I’m a good journalist, Commander Shepard. Word gets around.” Emily laughed.

Alyss laughed too. “Sounds like a good cause. If I find any information, it’s yours.”

“Thank you, Commander. You won’t regret it.”

They headed towards the medical clinic—according to the arrows on the ceiling beams—after Emily Wong departed, only for the three of them to stop and take in the breathtaking view. They all leaned against the half-wall in front of one of the windows, and just started out. Alyss had always loved skylines, but this was different; the Citadel stretched on for what felt like forever, and the sky always seemed to be covered in hues of pink purple and orange, because there seemed to be no night here. Lights blinked in and out on the buildings, giving it a twinkling atmosphere. She smiled as Kaidan let out a low whistle.

“Big place.” He muttered in awe.

Ashley raised an eyebrow. “That your professional opinion, sir?”

Kaidan was right though.

“This isn’t a station; it’s a city.” Shepard couldn’t tear her eyes away.

“There must be millions here. It can’t be possible to track everyone coming and going.” Kaidan replied, eyes scanning for the horizon.

Ashley smiled and nodded. “This makes Jump Zero look like a porta-john. And it’s the largest deep space station the Alliance has.”

Alyss knew that if she lived here she could never get tired of the view, even if the daylight was artificial; she’d actually give her right arm to wake up every day to something like this. The three of them, remained silent for a moment, still trying to drink it all in—they wouldn’t be on the Citadel for that much longer, and needed to enjoy the rare peaceful moments like this when they had the chance. She backed up off the wall slowly and Ashley followed suit almost immediately. Kaidan remained against the wall and leaned forward further.

“Jump Zero was big. But this is a whole ‘nother scale. Look at the ward arms. How do they keep all that mass from flying apart?” He chattered excitedly, the techie in him surfacing; he always did like knowing how things worked.

Humans would have to work hard to measure up and fit in out here, that was for damn certain.

“The Council represents more races than I thought. No wonder they’re careful with newcomers.” Alyss added.

She was watching Kaidan who was bathed in the orangey-purple glow from the windows; he looked quite handsome just standing there like that…it didn’t help that his hindquarters were protruding slightly as he was bent over the wall. Alyss blushed and looked away—she shouldn’t be thinking such things. He was her subordinate, and that was a dangerous line that she shouldn’t even think about crossing; Hannah and Joel Shepard would be so disappointed in their daughter if they were there and knew what was going on in her head. She smiled.

Kaidan nodded slowly. “They probably just want to keep everything running. It has to be hard keeping all these cultures working together.”

“Or maybe they just don’t like humans.” Ashley shrugged.

What wasn’t to like?

“Why not? We’ve got oceans, beautiful women, this emotion called love. According to the old vids, we have everything they want.” Alyss glanced back out the window.

Kaidan had looked over at her, but that had been a mistake; she was framed in the lights streaming in through the window, and they were glinting off the black in her hair, and making it look almost like she had a halo. More of her hair had come out of her ponytail, and laid in waves around her face, while her makeup was still perfect somehow and made her every feature pop. He knew he should look away and compose himself, but he couldn’t; she was breathtakingly beautiful…he couldn’t stop the next words that tumbled out of his mouth.

“When you put it that way, there’s no reason they wouldn’t like you.” He blushed immediately; what had he just done? “I mean, us. Humans. Ma’am.”

Ashley’s hand flew to her mouth at his slip of tongue, hiding her giggles as he rubbed the back of his neck, in an embarrassed fluster. Alyss’ lavender eyes met his chocolate ones, both of them too embarrassed to notice the blush on the other’s cheeks intensifying the longer they held each other’s gaze. Ashley raised an eyebrow as she glanced back and forth between the two of them for a moment; Kaidan was never going to live this down if she had any say in the matter. He was the first to break eye contact and look away from both women who were staring at him, still rubbing the back of his neck…damn if Alyss didn’t think that made him even more adorable.

“You don’t take much shore leave, do you, L-T?” Ashley teased.

If it was Kaidan saying she was pretty instead of that asshole, Harkin, she didn’t mind.

“All right, laugh it up, Chief. I appreciate the thought, Alenko, but we’re on duty here.” She did her best to keep her tone light.

Kaidan cocked his head to the side. “Um, aye, aye, ma’am.”

Ashely couldn’t believe it; could these two be more clueless?

“I’ll walk drag, ma’am.” She laughed, punching Kaidan in the shoulder when Alyss turned away.

It was obvious when she made it down the stairs that it wasn’t where she wanted to go, but she could take a minute to scan yet another keeper and talk to the C-Sec officer on duty. The blonde man turned at the sound of her approach and his brown eyes widened in immediate recognition the moment they landed on her face. She scrunched up her nose, once again wishing her face wasn’t as recognizable as it was, but she shook it off and gave the officer the same dazzlingly smile she’d used on Conrad not that long before.

“Hey, I know you! You’re Shepard right? I was on Mindoir during the Blitz. Saw you on the vids when you got your medal. You saved the whole colony!” He gushed.  
Well that was one she hadn’t heard yet.

Kaidan smirked. “Looks like you have a fan.”

“I’m sorry. I just never thought I’d meet someone like you in person. My name’s Lang. Officer Eddie Lang. Citadel Security.” He nodded at her quickly. “It’s an honor to meet you, Commander. What are you doing down here in the wards? Anything I can help you with?”

Alyss studied him for a moment—she might as well take advantage of any information he could offer, seeing as she’d already stumbled down here. She nodded slowly. It wouldn’t hurt to get to know him, he seemed happy to just meet her, not asking her for anything; besides maybe he could tell if she should still be stewing over what Harkin said about Anderson. If anyone knew if Harkin was a downright liar, it would be another C-Sec officer.

“Why’d you join Citadel Security?”

Eddie shrugged. “I don’t know. Seemed like the right thing to do, you know? Maybe it’s in my blood. My grandfather was a cop back on Earth. It’s kind of what C-Sec is. Police for the Citadel. I’m still pretty new at it, but I like it so far. Way more interesting than staying back on Earth. You get to meet all kinds of cool aliens. Like those hanar. Wild. Plus, C-Sec gets a lot of respect here. We uphold the law. People—even aliens—appreciate that.”

Alyss nodded. That was a lovely way of looking at it, if only all C-Sec officers had that sort of sunny outlook, the Presidium really would be perfect…but there was always a chink in the armor—even if it was just one or two. She smiled at him; it would be nice to have roots like that—something keeping her grounded, but she was a spacer child through and through, and she wouldn’t change that for the world. She’d always thought Earth was fascinating, but maybe that was because she only ended up there on shore leaves, and never got to stay for a long period of time, so it always seemed new and exciting to her.

“How do you like working here on the Citadel?”

“This place is amazing! I’ve been here almost a year, and I still haven’t seen a tenth of it. The Presidium’s just so beautiful. Good place to go and relax.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked out the nearby window at the view. “But I really like it down here in the wards. There’s always something going on somewhere. Like that new club they just opened a few months ago, Flux. Wicked scene in there, Commander. You should check it out when you have some time.”

“What do you know about Spectres?”

Maybe Eddie Lang could give her a little insight into Saren’s head; she’d take any advantage she could get.

“Just the stuff they show in the vids. They always make them out to be super agents on secret missions to save the galaxy. I know it’s not really like that, though.” Sometimes they were on secret missions to destroy the world too…but Alyss kept her lips clamped shut. “Some of the other C-Sec guys don’t like them too much. Figure they shouldn’t be able to operate outside the law. But if they were so bad, the Council wouldn’t use them, right?”

“Do you know a C-Sec officer named Harkin?” Alyss asked cautiously, not trying to tip her hand.

Eddie scratched his forehead. “I really shouldn’t say too much. He’s been on the force a lot longer than me. But I’ve heard things, you know? Drinking on the job, taking bribes, that kind of thing. Rumors, mostly. But they suspended him, so some of it must be true.”

Alyss understood not wanting to idly gossip, so she let it drop. “I have to go.”

Eddie nodded, before saluting her. “Right. You’re probably real busy. Well, see you around, Commander.”

He was a good kid; Alyss gave him one last smile before heading back up the stairs from whence she’d come. She turned left at the top, towards the narrow hallway she still had to explore, finally locating an arrow that said ‘Med Clinic’ and following it around the corner to a large glass door that slid open at her approach. There she saw Garrus, hunkered low against a wall, and five hostile targets threatening a woman with red hair. They apparently hadn’t noticed the turian or the trio of them yet, but it was only a matter of time. She and Kaidan immediately popped their barriers, before making their way into the room, slowly. This wasn’t going to fly…not on her watch.

“I didn’t tell anyone. I swear!” The woman was crying frantically.

“That was smart, Doc. Now, if Garrus comes around, you stay smart. Keep your mouth shut or we’ll—” His eyes locked with Shepard’s, her pistol raised and trained on him, and he immediately grabbed the red-headed woman and pulled her in front of him; her head in the way of Alyss’s shot, and his right arm leveling a pistol at Alyss over her shoulder. “Who are you?”

“Let her go.” Alyss demanded, her voice completely level.

She may not have a shot yet, but there was no way in hell she was going to lower her weapon. Garrus took advantage of her distraction to jump around the corner, nailing the thug in the side of the head making Doctor Michel scream; he hadn’t taken the time to even really aim, and that wasn’t okay…not when there was a hostage in the mix. She’d have to deal with that later, because the other four thugs opened fire as the fifth member—the one Garrus had nailed—hit the ground with a sickening thud, as Garrus himself advanced on them, fully out in the open. The doctor scurried behind a stack of crates for safety, and once she was out of the way, it was open season.

When the firefight was over, she made her way back to where Doctor Michel hid, and offered the frightened and blood-spattered woman a hand up. She helped her brush herself off, and checked her over for injuries—the irony of checking a doctor, was not lost on Alyss, but she wanted to make sure the woman didn’t have a scratch’ Alyss didn’t like people getting hurt on her watch. Especially because as the ‘distraction’, this had been partly her fault in the first place. Garrus grinned as he approached her.

“Perfect timing, Shepard. Gave me a clear shot at that bastard.”

He’d taken a big risk with Doctor Michel’s safety.

“What were you thinking? You could’ve hit the hostage!” She growled.

Garrus shook his head. “There wasn’t time to think! I just reacted. I didn’t mean to—Dr. Michel? Are you hurt?”

She ran shaking fingers through her chin-length red hair. “No. I’m okay. Thanks to you. All of you.”

Alyss put a comforting hand on the woman’s shoulder. “I know those men threatened you. But if you tell us who they work for, we can protect you.”

Doctor Michel took a deep breath and nodded. “They work for Fist. They wanted to shut me up, keep me from tell Garrus about the quarian.”

Alyss arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “What quarian?”

Doctor Michel’s eyebrows fell, and after Alyss removed her hand from the woman’s shoulder she started pacing while wringing her hands. She’d almost been killed for what she knew, and even though she knew she could trust these four people who had just saved her, if anything got back to her, she would be in danger once Shepard and crew left the Citadel, and Garrus went back to being a C-Sec grunt. Suffice to say she was worried, but she did trust the woman with the long black hair that was pulled up in a ponytail.

“A few days ago, a quarian came by my office. She’d been shot, but she wouldn’t tell me who did it. I could tell she was scared, probably on the run. She asked me about the Shadow Broker. She wanted to trade information in exchange for a safe place to hide.”

If Dr. Michel was going to tell Garrus about this quarian, it obviously had to do with his investigation into Saren; she wouldn’t risk it otherwise. She needed to find this quarian and fast, especially if she’d been here a few days before. She was running out of time, and if she could tell them where she was, maybe they could find her before, Fist and his goons did—especially if Fist was an agent of the Shadow Broker.

“Where is she now?”

“I put her in contact with Fist. He’s an agent for the Shadow Broker.”

Garrus shook his head. “Not any more. Now he works for Saren, and the Shadow Broker isn’t too happy about it.”

Green eyes went wide. “Fist betrayed the Shadow Broker? That’s stupid, even for him. Saren must have made him quite the offer.”

“That quarian must have something Saren wants. Something worth crossing the shadow Broker to get.” Garrus crossed his arms over his chest.

It was hopefully the evidence she needed.

Alyss narrowed her eyes. “She must have something that proves he’s a traitor. Did the quarian mention anything about Saren? Or the geth?”

Dr. Michel nodded emphatically. “She did! The information she was going to trade. She said it had something to do with the geth.”

“She must be able to link Saren to the Geth. There’s no way the Council can ignore this!” Garrus’ mandibles flicked out in excitement.

He may have been jumping the gun a little bit, but if she did have what they both so desperately craved, they didn’t have any time to waste. She nodded as well, crossing her arms over her chest in silent contemplation—there was a chance that Fist already had her, and then this would have to turn into a rescue mission, but there was also the chance that he was setting her up. Either way, they had to act fast. They had to find her, and soon.

“Time we paid Fist a visit.” She uncrossed her arms, ready to move out.

Garrus stopped her when she took a step towards the door. “This is your show, Shepard. But I want to bring Saren down as much as you do. I’m coming with you!”

“Welcome aboard, Garrus.” Alyss reached out and shook his hand; she needed all the help she could get.

“You know, we aren’t the only ones going after Fist. The Shadow Broker hired a krogan bounty hunter named Wrex to take him out.” Garrus told her.

So that was why Wrex was after Fist—all the pieces were clicking into place. She knew they should probably find Wrex too, because if she knew anything about krogan, the mercenary was not going to be happy if they killed his target before he had a chance to take him down; she did not want to be on his bad side. Ashley nodded, slightly unhappily. Alyss would deal with it later, but right now they had a very short window of opportunity.

“Yeah, we saw him in the bar.” Ashley muttered.

“A krogan might come in handy.” Alyss said.

“Last I heard, he was at the C-Sec Academy.”

Kaidan raised an eyebrow and looked at the turian. “What’s he doing there?”

“Fist accused him of making threats. We brought Wrex in for a little talk. If you hurry, you can catch him at the academy before he leaves.” Garrus explained.

Alyss nodded. “Move out.”

“I never properly thanked you for saving me from Fist’s thugs, Commander. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t been there.” Dr. Michel stopped her from going too far.

Alyss smiled; she was just glad she’d gotten there in time to save her. “I’m just glad you weren’t hurt.”

Dr. Michel let out a dry laugh. “Me too. Now, was there anything you needed?”

She could always use more medigel, but she wanted to ask a personal question first—so far she was the first doctor Alyss had seen on the Citadel, and she knew she hadn’t been everywhere, but the arrows had all pointed her to this one place when she was looking for Garrus. On a station this size there had to be more than one, didn’t there? She cocked her head to the side.

“You’re a doctor? How did you end up here, on the Citadel?”

“My parents brought me here when I was young. My father was a medic with the Alliance. I chose to keep the medical tradition alive, but not the military. Fixing up wounded soldiers isn’t my idea of fun.”

Alyss snorted. She didn’t have the patience for medical—something her father had always teased her about; her bedside manner left much to be desired. But before she left, she replenished her medigel from the safe on the wall, and bought some supplies to give to the quarian when they found her—a few days was not long enough for a gunshot wound to heal. If she could help at all she would, it was the least she could do when this girl was probably her key to defeating Saren, and making the Council revoke his Spectre status.

It looked like she didn’t need to go see Barla Von after all, though she still might just to learn what he knew about the Shadow Broker but she needed to find Wrex and the Quarian first—it paid off to get a little lost sometimes. This time she knew exactly where she was going—out of the clinic, around the corner and down the stairs where she’d run into Eddie Lang—only this time Garrus joined them; she had a feeling this was the end of his days with C-Sec. Just because they were about to revoke Saren’s Spectre status, didn’t mean they were done, and if he chose to stay, she’d welcome the extra help. She jogged into the elevator to the C-Sec academy and as the doors closed behind all of them, the all stood in silence for a moment. Kaidan was the first to break it.

“Well, Garrus, any regrets about leaving Citadel Security?” He asked.

Garrus hadn’t officially resigned from C-Sec yet, but he did intend to.

“Fighting a rogue Spectre with countless lives at stake and no regulations to get in the way? I’d say that beats C-Sec.” Garrus laughed.

Kaidan rolled his eyes. “Well, we don’t lack for excitement, that’s for sure.”

Alyss had to contain her laughter at how thrilled Garrus sounded, and how dejected Kaidan was during the exchange—honestly she’d just be happy getting out of this with her integrity intact. Ashley remained quiet during the whole exchange, either she didn’t care, or she was caught up in something inside her head, either way, Alyss understood—after all the running around they’d been doing, she’d give anything to go back to the ship and hang out with Joker. The elevator music dimmed when the doors slid open. Alyss ran up the stairs, Garrus, Ashley and Kaidan right on her tail.

“Hang on a sec looking you up.” The requisition officer in the Academy said, as she entered his office, and discreetly scanned the keeper next to him. “Commander Shepard, here with the Alliance Military. First time on the Citadel. That about right?”

It sure was—all of that was in her file?

“How did you know all that?”

“I’m the C-Sec requisitions officer. I need to make sure our buyers are authorized.” She nodded; it made complete sense. “So, will you be purchasing anything today, Commander Shepard?”

She swore she’d somehow found her way into every shop on the Citadel…at least in the areas she’d been allowed to go. How she found the time for this, even she didn’t know, but having some nice mods for her gear couldn’t hurt, especially because she didn’t know what she was going to run into when she was out and about in the galaxy chasing after Saren. It would be nice to be one hundred percent prepared—maybe she’d even find a different belt that could hold more grenades, or an Aldrin Labs license for the Normandy’s quartermaster.

“Show me what you’ve got.”

He leaned forward and pressed a button to bring up his stock on the terminal. “Excellent. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

She couldn’t wait until all off this was said and done and she could have a little time to gamble in Flux; she’d purposely avoided it, because if she started playing, it would take some time for her to stop. Wrex stood angrily in the midst of three C-Sec officers, arms crossed and he looked up as the trio approached, ignoring the C-Sec officer right in front of him to lock eyes with Alyss. The officer stood with his hands behind his back, feet shoulder-width apart, trying to come off as intimidating to the large krogan…and failing miserably.

“Witnesses saw you making threats in Fist’s bar. Stay away from him.”

Wrex snorted, looking back at the man in front of him. “I don’t take orders from you.”

“This is your only warning, Wrex.” The officer tried again.

“You should warn Fist. I will kill him.” The krogan looked ready to head butt the poor guy.

“You want me to arrest you?”

Wrex let out a slow, rumbling laugh. “I want you to try.”

He smirked, and walked over to where Alyss was standing, leaving the flustered officer standing in a daze. She had to hand it to the C-Sec officer, she was surprised he’d kept his cool that long, when staring Wrex down—he was rather intimidating. But she was on his side, which meant he probably had absolutely no malice towards her, plus since she had Garrus in tow, he knew something big was about to go down. His hulking figured stopped beside her and he stared down at her.

“Go on. Get out of here.” The C-Sec officer called.

Alyss rolled her eyes.

“Do I know you human?” Wrex grumbled.

He didn’t remember running into her in Chora’s Den and knocking her into Kaidan? When it came to Fist, he apparently had a one track mind, which would definitely come in handy if she could point it towards Saren and the geth instead of a two-bit hack crime lord on the Citadel. She nodded slowly, impressed that he didn’t recognize her on sight like most people—it was a welcome relief. She smiled up at him as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“My name’s Shepard. I’m going after Fist. Thought you might want to come along.”

Wrex growled. “Shepard? Commander Shepard? I’ve heard a lot about you. We’re both warriors, Shepard. Out of respect, I’ll give you fair warning, I’m going to kill Fist.”

“Fist knows you’re coming. We’ll have a better chance if we all work together.” Garrus tried.

Wrex nodded. “My people have a saying: seek the enemy of your enemy, and you will find a friend.”

Earth had a saying that was similar.

Alyss reached out to shake the krogan’s hand. “Glad to have you on the team, Wrex.”

The krogan cracked his neck bones making her flinch slightly. “Let’s go. I’d hate to keep Fist waiting.”

She hadn’t meant to go into Citadel control, and after quickly scanning the keeper she found up there, she made her way back down the stairs, only to hear a commotion off to her left between a volus and a human C-Sec officer.

“Okay, Jahleed. Let me get this straight. Your business partner…Chorban, he’s threatened you?”

She wasn’t one to eavesdrop, but the name Chorban drew her attention. Chorban may have been a little jumpy, but he didn’t seem the kind to threaten anybody—something was off here; Chorban had never mentioned a partner. She jogged into the small, blue-lit corridor and cautiously approached the C-Sec officer and the volus he was talking to, hoping not to stop their conversation before she heard the rest of the details.

“Well, no, not exactly. But he wants to meet with me. I think he’s going to kill me.” Jahleed stammered.

“And why do you think that?”

“I—I can’t really get into the details. But Chorban will kill me if I leave here unprotected.”

The C-Sec officer shook his head slowly. “I can’t help you. Not unless you give me something more to go on.”

“I—I can’t. I’m sorry.” It was Jahleed’s turn to shake his head.

“Then I’ve got other work to do.”

“But—”

“But nothing. Don’t bother me unless you’re willing to give me details.” The officer spat as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Alyss knelt down before the volus after the officer walked away. She was going to get some answers and she was going to get them now—Jahleed jumped in surprise, backing away slowly. Why was it that the two “partners”—she’d believe that when she got concrete evidence—that were scanning the keepers were so goddamned jumpy? From what she’d seen, the scanning didn’t actually disturb the keepers, and she’d scanned seventeen already. So there was nothing to be afraid of.

“Hey there—oh. You’re not C-Sec, are you? Did you want something?”

“What were you trying to explain to the officer before?”

Jahleed took a deep breath. “My colleague is trying to kill me. And I thought we were friends.”

Alyss raised an eyebrow. “How do you know he wants you dead?”

“He’s changed. He won’t talk to me at work anymore, and…he started following me.” The volus looked around frantically. “Yesterday, he followed me all the way home. Just waiting for a chance. I don’t care what anyone thinks; he wants me gone. I know it.”

While suspicious, that didn’t sound like he was going to kill him. She understood why the C-Sec officer had wanted more proof before assigning Jahleed a security detail—it took time and money to set those up, and without concrete proof, there was no point. Insofar he hadn’t mentioned Chorban to her once, which is what had brought her over to him in the first place. She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Is there something I can do? Talk to your friend, maybe?

The volus’ disposition brightened instantly. “Would you? That’s all I want: someone to talk to him. Tell him to leave me alone. He thinks he can just push me around, but you’ll show him won’t you?”

Alyss nodded, as she stood up. “Just tell me where he is, and I’ll go find him.”

“Oh, right.” Because that wasn’t sketchy at all. “Well, he wanted to meet with me down in the wards, near the markets. He said he just wanted to talk, but I know better. His name’s Chorban. He’s a salarian. You shouldn’t have any trouble. He’s just a scientist.”

“Chorban? That’s the guy who asked us to scan the keepers.” Kaidan mumbled from behind her.

“The keepers? Well…even more reason to go after him. That’s against regulations.” Jahleed pressed.

Alyss just shrugged. “I’d better look into this right away. Find out what he’s up to.”

“Anything’s possible with Chorban these days. Well, good luck.”

“Binary Helix has settled out-of-court with a krogan group that had accused the genetics corporation of fraud. The krogan group had contracted Binary Helix to perform studies with a long-range goal of curing their genetic sterilization. The group later sued for a return of investment money when the study produce no viable results.” The elevator news broadcast was saying.

Wrex growled low in his throat.

After making her way out of the elevator, she jogged down the hallway, waved at Eddie as she passed him once again, and made her way up the stairs. She passed the breathtaking view of the nebula again, forcing herself not to pause to take in the scenery—they were in a serious time crunch and needed to get to Fist before the quarian got herself killed, and to get to Chora’s den she needed to pass through the lower markets, so she’d talk to Chorban on the way. She had a feeling with Wrex behind her, her reception at the club wasn’t going to be the warmest…

She found Chorban, with two other Salarians flanking him, both with guns; as she approached, he started to wring his hands together, nervously—like he knew she’d talked to Jahleed. Or maybe she was just paranoid that everyone on this damn station was watching her because of who she was. It wasn’t a comforting thought. She shook her head ever so slightly, to clear it of all the negative thoughts that seemed to be plaguing it since she’d set foot on the Citadel; did paranoia just come with the fact that this place was _too_ perfect?

“Commander. I wasn’t expecting to see you again. Is there something you want?” Chorban asked.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “You can start by telling me the truth, Chorban.”

“I’m not sure what you’re referring to.” He wiped his brow with the back of his hand. “My experiments are…”

“Quit stalling. Your friend Jahleed told us about you.” Wrex interrupted.

He must’ve been very impatient to kill Fist.

Chorban’s eyes went wide. “You…spoke with Jahleed? Then you know about the data?”

“No but you’re going to tell me. Everything.”

She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder; she didn’t want it to come to blows, and Chorban nodded as he heaved a heavy sigh. She just wanted to talk—the hired goons were unnecessary apparently, and so he turned to them and waved them off, he didn’t need their help anymore…they’d only been for his protection in case Jahleed tried something. The two of them had gotten in over their heads. It was time to end this.

“You boys can go.” The other two salarians nodded and left without a fuss, as Chorban rubbed the back of his neck. “Looks like my plans have changed. It’s not as bad as you think, Commander. Jahleed and I just got a little…over our heads.

“Keep talking.” She narrowed her eyes.

“The company we worked for developed an experimental procedure for use in medical scanners. Jahleed and I saw even more potential. So we stole the plans and secretly developed a tool to scan the keepers. Can you imagine? A tool that can actually get readings from the keepers?”

She was going to pretend that she didn’t hear the word ‘stole’…

Alyss shrugged and let her arms fall to her sides. “What’s so special about that?”

“The keepers are almost impossible to scan, and you can’t capture them or get samples. They just self-destruct. After centuries here, we still don’t know anything about them. Don’t you see? We were the first to scan them. Ever! You’ve seen it yourself, Commander. You know we can do it.”

The science of all this was making him excited, and while the pursuit of knowledge was a worthy goal, he had barely mentioned Jahleed in his explanation.  
“Why are you trying to kill you partner?”

Chorban shook his head in confusion. “I’m not trying to kill him. Jahleed’s job was to disseminate our initial findings. But…he decided to keep the data for himself. Maybe to sell it. I don’t know.”

Red lips opened in an ‘o’ shape. “So you’re just trying to get back what Jahleed already stole.”

“We lost our heads. We just couldn’t let an opportunity like this pass us by.” Chorban nodded. “Commander. If you’ll just continue gathering data for me…imagine what we might learn. And you’ll stand to make a bit of profit yourself, remember.”

She smiled. “I suppose a little scanning here and there won’t hurt anyone.”

“Very good. Maybe if you wouldn’t mind speaking with Jahleed. The data you’re gathering for me is useless if Jahleed won’t help me analyze it.”

“I’ll go have a chat with him as soon as I can.” She promised.

She could sense Wrex getting restless from behind her, and had a feeling if she put it off any longer, he would shoot her in the foot; she did not want to be on his bad side. The sooner they killed Fist the better. Chorban nodded in understanding; of course she had other things she had to do here on the Citadel, but at least she had been willing to take time out of her busy schedule to help a scientist out. He gave her an awkward bow.

“Thank you, and happy scanning, Commander.”

After she and Chorban parted ways, she made her way through the lower markets and out into that awful red-lit hallway that led to Chora’s Den. The place was locked down tight, she couldn’t even hear the muffled bass boost like before—Fist obviously knew they were coming, and she hoped against hope that he’d sent all the innocent workers home for the day so they didn’t get caught up in the firefight that was about to take place. She’d have to check her fire just in case. There was a sharp inhalation of breath behind her.

“Looks like its shut down.” Kaidan noted.

“Fist knows we’re coming.” Wrex nodded.

Alyss could hear the smile in his voice. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her pistol off her hip, checked the heat sink, and pressed the panel by the door to open it. They were ambushed immediately as the doors slid open, but after a quick check, she didn’t see any patrons, dancers or waitresses. She let out a sigh of relief, as they made quick work of Fist’s hired goons, and then she opened that door the bouncer hadn’t let her through before. Two men held guns on her nervously, shifting from foot to foot; it was obvious to anyone that this was the first time either of them had ever held a gun.

“Stop right there! Don’t come any closer!” One shouted.

Alyss lowered her weapon.

“Warehouse workers. All the real guards must be dead.” Kaidan said.

“Stay back or we’ll shoot!” The other worker said.

If they really wanted to shoot her, they would’ve done so already, but she wasn’t about to shoot them—they still had a chance to save themselves. “This would be a good time to find somewhere else to work.”

They both lowered their guns, nodding furiously. ‘Yeah. Yeah, right. That’s a good idea.”

“I never liked Fist anyway.”

Wrex stared at her for a moment. “It would’ve been quicker to just kill them.”

Alyss put her left hand on her hip—since her right was holding her gun—as she turned to the krogan, but Kaidan placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Shooting people isn’t always the answer.” He shook his head.

“Why do I have to do everything myself?” Fist muttered as they entered the back room where he’d holed himself up. “Time to die, little soldiers!”

Alyss rolled her eyes, and took cover by the wall they’d entered next to, as Fist flipped a table up on it’s side and ducked behind it. She couldn’t see him typing furiously on an omni-tool, but the moment two turrets popped out of the woodwork she knew this was going to be remotely harder than when they were surrounded less than five minutes before. Who had turrets just lying in wait in their office? If she hadn’t already known he was a shady asshole that would’ve given him away in an instant. She grabbed Kaidan by the collar, and pulled him out of the line of fire into her cover.

“Can you do something about the turrets?” She asked, eyeing Wrex all the way across the room already; she really hoped that he remembered she needed information about the quarian before he decided to kill Fist.

“Yes ma’am.”

His arm glowed orange, and it took him less than a minute to hijack the turrets and make them self-destruct—if she had the time she would’ve swooned a little. Alyss took advantage of Fist’s surprise when one of them blew up in his face, and leaned out of cover squeezing the trigger of her pistol and nailing him in the thigh. He went down, clutching at the wound, and making her hope she’d missed the femoral artery…she couldn’t have him dying on her before he told her everything she needed to know. As he went down he fired a wild shot, which hit her in the left shoulder as she stepped out of cover; she flinched. Wrex advanced on Fist, shotgun held at the ready. She smiled at the krogan and placed her hand gently on the barrel of the gun, pushing the nose to point towards the floor; he let out a low growl.

“Wait! Don’t kill me! I Surrender!” Fist cried.

Smart move.

“Where’s the quarian?” Alyss asked.

She aimed her pistol at his head, as he held his hands up in surrender, his face white as a sheet; normally she wasn’t one for intimidating interrogation tactics, but she’d make an exception just this once. Fist cringed and looked away, expecting her to pull the trigger at any second. He’d surrendered so she wasn’t going to shoot him, he hoped—maybe they’d just take him to C-Sec. When faced with his life, he was suddenly a lot less confident than when they’d stormed into the room, and it was that fear Alyss was playing on, much to her own chagrin.

“She’s not here. I don’t know where she is. That’s the truth.”

Wrex stepped up beside her. “He’s no use to you now. Let me kill him.”

Fist covered his face quickly.

“Wait! Wait! I don’t know where the quarian is, but I know where you can find her. The quarian isn’t here. Said she’d only deal with the Shadow Broker himself.”

“Face to face? Impossible! Even I was hired through an agent.” Wrex grunted.

Shepard lowered her gun, and helped Fist to stand up, giving him a once over—she had missed the artery; he’d live. Though he’d probably walk with a limp for the rest of his days, a fact she’d be sorry about if he hadn’t just sicced two turrets on them, and hit her in the shoulder when she’d forgotten to pop a barrier. She didn’t say anything to anyone, her armor had taken most of the impact, but part of whatever kind of rounds he’d been using had made it through; her shoulder seared with pain, but she clenched her teeth, and endured it.

“Nobody meets the Shadow Broker. Ever. Even I don’t know his true identity. But she didn’t know that. I told her I’d set a meeting up. But when she shows up, it’ll be Saren’s men waiting for her.” Fist crossed his arms over his chest.

Shepard had half a mind to let Wrex shoot him; that was a despicable thing to do.

She grabbed him by the collar, hiding a wince, and shoved her pistol up under his chin. “Give me the location. Now.”

“Here on the wards. The back alley by the markets. She’s supposed to meet them right now. You can make it if you hurry.”

Alyss released Fist from her hold, and popped a barrier, concentrating a significant portion of her energy, to protect her shoulder; she didn’t have time to be injured at the moment. It wasn’t like she could strip off her armor and apply medigel to the affected area, so she’d have to just wait until she got back to the Normandy…however long that would take. She turned to leave, and before she even had a moment to react saw Wrex draw his shotgun, cock it, and shoot Fist dead in a manner of seconds. She wasn’t even that angry that he’d shot him after he’d surrendered…just very impressed with his speed.

“Oh my god!” Kaidan yelled in surprise, glaring at the krogan.

Wrex shrugged. “The Shadow Broker paid me to kill him. I don’t leave jobs half done.”

She stowed her pistol on her belt again, and pushed the barrel of Wrex’s gun towards the floor again.

“We don’t shoot unarmed prisoners!” She enunciated each world very clearly, so Wrex got that he was not to do that again…at least not without her permission; he needed to work with her, not for himself.

“How many people died because of him? He brought this on himself. Besides, we have more pressing concerns.”

Kaidan nodded, and his chocolate eyes met her lavender ones. “That quarian is dead if we don’t go now!”

“One thing…How fast can you download Fist’s files? I promised Emily Wong.” Alyss Shepard did not go back on a promise.

Kaidan’s arm glowed orange once again. He’d already bypassed Fist’s firewall once to destroy the turrets at her behest, so he was already in the system; for someone so paranoid to have turrets hidden in the walls, she hadn’t really expected him to just leave the files on his computer. But then again, he needed to keep track of his business transactions and contacts—it wasn’t like he could keep that all in his head all the time. There was a ping, and Kaidan nodded at her, closing his omni-tool. Perfect.


	26. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The newest member of Shepard's squad has what they've all been looking for--evidence to prove that Saren Arterius is a traitor that needs to be brought to justice. Especially after they meet the widower of someone who died on Eden Prime, making her more determined than ever to track him down. She wants his head...

The three of them made their way back out into the hallways, and when they re-entered the club, a shot exploded against her barrier, making her mutter a string of curse words; when had Fist had time to call for more back up? Or were those Saren’s men? She didn’t have time to figure it out; Alyss took a deep breath, and she and Kaidan biotically charged at the two enemies near them in complete unison, as Wrex ran in growling, shoulder charging one, and then shot gunning another directly in the face. When the last enemy fell, they ran as fast as they could, through the red hallway, and into another piece of it, seeing a quarian surrounded by Saren’s assassins.

“Did you bring it?” A turian asked.

“Where’s the Shadow Broker? Where’s Fist?”

The assassin approached her and stroked his hand down the hood of her suit, and then down her arm. “They’ll be here. Where’s the evidence?”

The quarian smacked his hand away. “No way. The deal’s off.”

For a moment Alyss was glad Fist was dead, or she would’ve gone back to shoot him herself; the quarian never should have been put in a position like that—nor should any woman, alone and scared in the galaxy. The turian glared at her, and beckoned to the fully armored guards behind him. She silently applauded the girl, fending off his advances and knowing that she’d walked right into a trap. The guards approached her drawing their guns, but she was too quick, she dodged away and threw a grenade; there was a loud explosion as one of them was blown to smithereens. Alyss drew her gun and jumped into the firefight—the other two went down fast.

“Fist set me up! I knew I couldn’t trust him!” The quarian cried.

Shepard checked her over for injuries. “Are you okay? Were you hurt in the fight?”

The quarian shook her head. “I know how to look after myself. Not that I don’t appreciate the help. Who are you?”

“My name’s Shepard. I’m looking for evidence to prove Saren’s a traitor.”

“Then I have a chance to repay you for saving my life. But not here. We need to go someplace safe.”

“The Ambassador’s office. It’s safe there. He’ll want to see this anyway.” Kaidan piped up.

It was finally happening—everything they’d been working towards since Nihlus was killed was happening. If she didn’t need to keep her composure, she would break out into tears of overwhelmed joy, but as it was, she wrapped her right arm around the quarian’s shoulder; keeping her close as they escorted her out of the wards and up to the Presidium. Alyss wasn’t going to let anything else happen to her. Udina ran an exasperated hand down his face as she entered his office. He shook he head and turned around to look out the window as everyone filed in behind her—this soldier just might be the death of him; he was going to have a mountain of paperwork to fill out after her adventures in the wards, and he wasn’t happy about it. Anderson looked slightly amused.

“You’re not making my life easy, Shepard. Firefights in the wards? An all-out assault on Chora’s Den? Do you know how many—” He turned around, seeing the quarian for the first time and he raised an eyebrow at her. “Who’s this? A Quarian? What are you up to, Shepard?”

“Making your day, Ambassador. She has information linking Saren to the geth.” Alyss rolled her eyes.

Udina raised an eyebrow. “Really? Maybe you better start at the beginning, Miss…?”

“My name is Tali. Tali’Zorah nar Rayya.”

“We don’t see many quarians here. Why did you leave the flotilla?” The Ambassador asked.

Tali started pacing back and forth. She wasn’t sure she wanted to get into this with a bunch of humans, but Shepard had saved her life down in the wards. Most people weren’t very fond of quarians seeing them as scavengers and thieves but that wasn’t normally the case—they were doing what they had to, to survive on their Pilgrimages.

“I was on my Pilgrimage, my rite of passage into adulthood.”

Alyss sucked in a breath; that made what happened down in the wards even worse. “I’ve never heard of this before.”

Tali glanced at her—expression unreadable beneath the purple mask. “It is a tradition among my people. When we reach maturity, we leave the ships of our parents and our people behind. Alone, we search the stars, only returning to the flotilla once we have discovered something of value. In this way, we prove ourselves worthy of adulthood.”

“What kinds of things do you look for?”

“It could be resources like food or fuel. Or some type of useful technology. Or even knowledge that will make life easier on the flotilla. Through our pilgrimage, we prove that we will contribute to the community, rather than being a burden on our limited resources.”

Alyss nodded. It made sense especially when one realized that the quarians lived on a fleet of ships—they probably sent them out to learn about the worlds so that one day they could leave the flotilla behind, and maybe settle a world again. It wasn’t like she didn’t pay attention in history, it’s just that it left out some details. She placed a comforting hand on Tali’s shoulder.

“Tell us what you found.”

“During my travels I began hearing reports of geth. Since they drove my people into exile, the geth have never ventured beyond the Veil. I was curious. I tracked a patrol of geth to an uncharted world. I waited for it to become separated from its unit. Then I disabled it and removed its memory core.” Tali explained.

Anderson put a hand on his chin. “I thought the geth fried their memory cores when they died. Some kind of defense mechanism.”

Well that was certainly interesting.

“How did you manage to preserve the memory core?” Alyss asked.

Tali shrugged. “My people created the geth. If you’re quick, careful, and lucky small caches of data can sometimes be saved. Most of the core was wiped clean. But I salvaged something from its audio banks.”

Alyss crossed her fingers—please let this be all that they needed to have Saren dismissed from the Spectres…she didn’t know if she could take another adventure to get more evidence because the Council deemed this insufficient. Tali pulled up her omni-tool, making her arm glow orange. She pressed a couple buttons and after a brief pause an audio stream crackled to life; Shepard let out a sigh of relief when Saren’s voice could be clearly heard and identified. She could almost hear the smug grin in his voice.

“Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit.”

Anderson’s eyes lit up. “That’s Saren’s voice. This proves he was involved in the attack!”

Something was bugging her—what the Hell was the Conduit?

“He said Eden Prime brought him one step closer to finding the Conduit. Any idea what that means?” She folded her arms over her chest, slowly.

He shook his head. “The Conduit must have something to do with the beacon. Maybe it’s some kind of Prothean technology…like a weapon—”

Tali held up a hand. “Wait…there’s more. Saren wasn’t working alone.”

She pressed a couple buttons and the audio crackled to life again.

“Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit.” Saren’s voice rang out once more.

“And one step closer to the return of the Reapers.” An unknown female voice said smoothly.

Ambassador Udina and Captain Anderson both put their chins in their hands in deep thought—probably trying to identify the second voice. While she didn’t like the idea that Saren had help, this really was all the evidence she needed to prove that she wasn’t the girl who cried wolf, and that Saren really had been on Eden Prime. He killed Nihlus, and she wanted his head. She blinked in astonish at the rage that she’d apparently had built up since Eden Prime—she didn’t even realize she’d been bottling it up or how bad it had gotten.

“I don’t recognize that other voice. The one talking about Reapers.”

Reapers…why did that sound so familiar?

Alyss started to wring her hands together. “I feel like I’ve heard that name before…”

“According to the memory core, the Reapers were a hyper-advanced machine race that existed 50,000 years ago. The Reapers hunted the Protheans to total extinction, and then they vanished. At least, that’s what the geth believe.” Tali explained.

Udina crossed his arms over his chest. “Sounds a little far-fetched.”

Alyss clapped a hand to her mouth—the word ‘Reapers’ had been whispered in her vision from the beacon, but the scattered images had been her predominant focus, because while the visuals had stuck out in her mind, vividly, the whispered words and warnings had faded to the back of her mind when she’d awoken. Almost like they hadn’t been there at all. She ran a hand through her hair. This might complicate matters a bit, but hopefully the Council would listen even, if it was a little bit of a stretch.

“The vision on Eden Prime—I understand it now. I saw the Protheans being wiped out by the Reapers.”

Tali nodded. “The geth revere the Reapers as gods, the pinnacle of non-organic life. And they believe Saren knows how to bring the Reapers back.”

“The Council is just going to love this!” Udina grumbled.

Even if they didn’t believe it, they needed to know.

“The Reapers are a threat to every species in Citadel space. We _have_ to tell them.” Alyss said.

“No matter what they think about the rest of this, those audio files prove Saren’s a traitor.”

Alyss snorted with laughter—Anderson’s one track mind was almost as bad a Wrex’s, but he’d been trying to take Saren down for a very long time, so it was understandable. Udina nodded, and uncrossed his arms, before crossing the room to his computer terminal. The sooner he could set up a meeting with the Council, the better their chances of stopping Saren before he did any more harm. She ran her fingers through her hair once more, wincing suddenly—her adrenaline had worn off, and her shoulder was throbbing again…hopefully they got this meeting over with soon so she could have Doctor Chakwas take a look at it.

“The captain’s right. We need to present this to the Council right away.”

“What about her? The quarian?” Wrex growled.

Alyss and Kaidan both looked at Tali as she hissed.

“My name is Tali!” She protested. “You saw me in the alley, Commander. You know what I can do. Let me come with you.”

“I thought you were on your Pilgrimage.” She actually wouldn’t mind another set of hands, but would it be alright for her to give up on her rite of passage?

“The Pilgrimage proves we are willing to give of ourselves for the greater good. What does it say about me if I turn my back on this? Saren is a danger to the entire galaxy. My Pilgrimage can wait.”

Alyss nodded. “I’ll take all the help I can get.”

She was sure there was a smile behind the mask.

“Thanks. You won’t regret this.” Tali told her.

“Anderson and I will go ahead to get things ready with the Council. Take about an hour to collect yourself, then meet us in the tower.”

He punched a few things into his computer, obviously letting the Council know that they had the evidence they’d wanted, and were ready to present their findings whenever they had a spare moment. An hour wasn’t ideal, but they were trying to keep everything running smoothly, and it was a big station. Besides, it gave Alyss more time to scan more keepers, and maybe, finally visit Flux—it was the one place she hadn’t been yet, because she knew she’d be there for a little while; dancing and gambling, were now on her agenda. She hadn’t been able to find the time before, but first instead of heading back to the Normandy she’d go see Doctor Michel—since she was right next door to Flux.

After leaving Udina’s office, she started down the stairs only to turn around immediately, and head towards the elcor and volus embassy. She’d almost completely forgotten that Septimus had given her information for Xeltan. The door slid open in front of her—Xeltan was still there, staring forlornly out the window; the poor guy had a lot weighing on his mind. She approached him and he turned at the sound of her footsteps.

“Strained greeting, human. This is really not a good time.” He sighed—if it was possible for elcor _to_ sigh.

“I know who revealed your secret. It was a turian named Septimus.”

Hopefully they could fix this mess before it got any worse…

Xeltan shook his head in disbelief. “Unbelieving. I know this Septimus and he could not learn my secrets. The only way he could learn them is from the asari Consort.”

“Not true. Look at this.” Ashley cut in.

Alyss shook her head slowly, and Ashley produced the datapad Septimus had given them when they’d found him in Chora’s den; it really hadn’t been right for Septimus to do something like this—his and Sha’ira’s problems shouldn’t have involved anyone else. She held it up in front of Xeltan so he could read it. If she had to guess, his emotions that he couldn’t express on his face were somewhere between shock and frustration. Her heart went out to him.

“Confused, this is difficult to fathom. If the turian could learn this on his own…dismayed, anyone can discover my secret.”

She was sure he’d be fine.

“Septimus is a powerful man, and it wasn’t easy for him to find.”

“Relieved, I suppose you are correct, human. Thank you for this information. Startled realization, I must speak with the Consort. She will be most displeased with my actions. Anxious request, please, human, if you will excuse me, I must go now.”

“I’m sure she’ll forgive you. It was an honest mistake.” Alyss shrugged.

“Doubtful, perhaps you are right, human. I can only hope so.”

Part of her had been dying to know what exactly the secret was, but she was not going to pry into something that didn’t have anything to do with her—as much as she wanted to know. The other part of her was just happy that she could help him, even if none of this should have happened in the first place. Shepard watched as Xeltan shuffled off out of the embassy to go speak to the Consort, his footfalls thudding heavily against the floor, and Calyn turned to speak with her from where he stood at his desk.

“Thankful, that was a great thing you did, Commander.” He glanced over at Din Korlack. “Approving, you see Din, not all humans are as you say.”

Din waved him off reproachfully. “I’m sure the Earth-clan stands to profit from this in some way.”

Alyss rolled her eyes, giving Calyn a slight nod.

“Apologetic, do not listen to my volus compatriot. It was a good thing you did, regardless of your intentions.” Calyn assured her.

Doing the right thing always gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling, and she smiled to herself as she Ashley and Kaidan left the room after discreetly scanning the keeper, and made their way out of the embassies. A man with greying hair and a long tan and grey shirt, stopped them at the bottom of the stairs. He looked distressed and obviously needed their help, having recognized her on sight as Commander Shepard—a woman who could get things done. Apparently the Citadel was rife with problems, everyone was just good at hiding them until they’d found her; she didn’t have long though, but she was always happy to help.

“Excuse me, Commander Shepard? Could you spare a moment of your time?” He asked, cautiously. “My name is Samesh Bhatia. Forgive the intrusion, but I have nowhere else to turn.”

She held up a hand. “It’s no trouble. What can I do for you?”

“My wife was a marine. She was in the 212 on Eden Prime.”

There was a sharp intake of breath from Ashley as Samesh began to wring his hands together in tired frustration—that was her unit. Alyss felt awful. Aside from Ashley no one from the 212 was left standing, which meant that this man had lost his wife on Eden Prime and her heart went out to him. At least she could find solace in the fact that she was about to be sent after the orchestrator behind the massacre of Eden Prime and the murder of this man’s wife, even if the thought didn’t help much.

“Wait, the 212? Your wife was Serviceman Nirali Bhatia? I’m Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams. I served in her unit.”

“Chief Williams. It is a pleasure. Nirali spoke of you with great respect.”

Ashley put a gentle hand on the man’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Mr. Bhatia. Nirali was a good woman. What can we do for you?”

“I’ve requested that my wife’s body be returned to me for cremation, but the military has refused my request.” His tone was angry.

Alyss cocked her head to the side; that wasn’t normal…she hoped they at least told him why.

“Why did they refuse your request? There’s got to be some reason.” Shepard drew the back of her hand across her forehead in confusion.

“I don’t know. All I know is that they have declared it impossible for my wife to be returned to me.”

He sounded like he was about to cry as he paced back and forth in front of her, as she heaved a heavy sigh and rubbed the back of her neck. Sometimes she felt like she needed to strap a bandage on her bleeding heart, because there had to be a reason for them to keep her body, but the poor man was in mourning and just wanted some closure. She could understand that, and if anyone could negotiate the release of Serviceman Nirali Bhatia, it was Commander Shepard. And she intended to set things right.

“There’s no reason for your wife’s body to be held like this. Just wait here.”

Samesh nodded.

“The man in charge of my case is Mr. Bosker. When I last saw him, he was in the expensive bar over there.” He pointed up the opposite set of stairs from the ones they’d come down. “Thank you for your time. I just want to give my wife a proper funeral and the respect she deserves.”

It was completely understandable and she was going to do everything in her power to fulfill his request. With Ashley and Kaidan in tow, she made her way up the stairs and into the lounge where they’d run into Fredricks earlier, and after a little grunt work she found the man she was looking for, leaning up against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He was staring out the window across the Presidium, but started when she tapped him lightly on the shoulder. She watched as the recognition dawned in his eyes.

“My goodness, you’re Commander Shepard!” He exclaimed. “Your activity made for quite a briefing in the Diplomatic Corps! Is there something I can do to assist you?”

“Yes. A man named Samesh Bhatia is having some trouble claiming his wife’s body.”

Bosker rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. “Ah, Mr. Bhatia. A good man in an understandably frustrating position. I wish I could help him. Serviceman Nirali Bhatia died on Eden Prime, as Mr. Bhatia no doubt told you. Her wounds are inconsistent with any weapon damage we’ve seen before. That is why her body is being held.”

Unless she was toxic, there was no reason to keep her from her grieving widow.

“You think that her body might be dangerous our contaminated?”

“No, Commander. Nirali Bhatia is not dangerous. Her body is, in fact, extremely valuable to the Alliance. The test we are conducting may lead to better defenses against geth attacks. Respectfully, Serviceman Bhatia may save more lives in death than she did in life.”

Shepard raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms over her chest; this wasn’t right.

“I understand what you’re trying to do, but holding the body is wrong.”

Hell, she was probably going to face down more Geth in the coming weeks than she probably ever thought possible. If they wanted geth weaponry damage, she was sure she could mail some damaged pieces back to alliance for study…including her right shoulder pauldron, seeing as it didn’t protect her from Fist’s wild shot, probably from all the heavy fire she’d taken when on Eden Prime and taking on the Geth. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as his blue eyes blazed with determination.

“Commander, you of all people should understand how far we must go to protect humanity!” His impassioned speech wasn’t going to make her budge.

She did know, but what was going here was still wrong. “Not if we lose our humanity in the process! I’m out there fighting to stop crap like this!”

Bosker sighed as his shoulders slumped in defeat. “All right, Commander. You win. It was hard enough refusing Mr., Bhatia. I’m not going to risk and incident by refusing you. Tell Samesh that the body is being shipped back to Earth. I’ll go now to see to it myself.”

He gave her one last glance, before proceeding the trio out of the lounge, probably to do some necessary paperwork to get everything squared away. Kaidan and Ashley each put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her that she’d done the right thing. That hadn’t made it any easier. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders leaving the sounds of the lounge behind her, running back to Samesh; behind his eyes was a faint glimmer of hope as she approached.

“Hello again, Commander. Has there been any word?”

Alyss smiled as she nodded. “I reminded Mr. Bosker what we’re fighting for. Your wife is coming home.”

He reached out and clasped her hand shaking it. “Thank you. I will return home and begin my preparations. It does not bring me any happiness, but it may bring me peace. Good bye, Commander.”

As he turned to go Ashley, stopped him for a moment. “Samesh? I don’t know if this helps, but your wife…Nirali loved you very much. She missed your cooking, and she played recordings of you every night before she went to sleep.”

Shepard was about to cry.

Samesh nodded. “I know, Miss Williams. But thank you. It is nice to hear it again.”


	27. Fixing Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard and Company find themselves dragged into so many problems on the Citadel and all of it is starting to take it's toll on her and she can't wait to have a little time to herself to just play some quasar machines and shut out the rest of the world, instead of spending time chasing leads and solving everyone's problems but her own.

“Is there anything I can do for you today, Commander?” Barla Von asked as she stepped into his office.

“I heard you work for the Shadow Broker. Do you have any information about Saren?” Alyss crossed her arms over her chest as she stared down at the volus.

“You’re very blunt, Shepard. And you’re right.” He scoffed. “But Wrex has already told you far more than I know about this. I am sorry, but I have nothing else to offer.”

She nodded. Part of her was curious as to how he knew that Wrex had told her anything, but he must have ears everywhere on the station—and the Council either didn’t know, or turned a blind eye to it, like they had with Saren’s corruption. It seemed like no one knew much about the Shadow Broker and that irked her—how could one individual stay in shadow for so long, especially with multiple arms that reached out to do his shady dealings for him? It just didn’t seem possible. Why wouldn’t you want to know about the person you’re working for, and just accept him and his information on blind faith?  She shook her head in frustration.

“Tell me more about the Shadow Broker.”

He took a deep breath. “Most people think I deal in finances, but my real currency is knowledge. I trade information, and it has made me very wealthy. But the Shadow Broker is the true master. Every day, he buys and sells secrets that could topple governments, always giving them to the highest bidder. Yet somehow, he never seems to upset the natural balance of power. All those secrets being passed around seem to even out. Nobody ends up with an advantage in the end.”

“Any guess what his identity might be?” She was genuinely curious.

“I don’t know.” Barla Von shrugged. “Nobody does. The Shadow Broker could be any race, any gender. I have a theory that it’s actually an entire group working under one identity. How else could they juggle so many contacts at the same time? How else could they keep all that information from getting crossed? But they’ve got the perfect setup. Every government is forced to play their game so they don’t get behind. But no matter how long you play, no matter how many secrets you buy, you can never win.”

“I thought you’d know more about the man you work for.”

“From time to time, I come across information I sell to the Shadow Broker. That’s my only involvement. I like it that way. The more you know, the more dangerous the game becomes. I don’t like danger, Commander. I’ll leave that to you.”

“I should go.”

“Goodbye, Commander.”

He’d certainly given her a lot to mull over. The shadow Broker was playing a dangerous game, but she was having trouble ferreting out a reason someone would go to all that trouble to hide themselves, and yet still be close enough to the surface, that they could tip the balance and everyone knew it—but not doing it. Why would you let yourself getting jerked around like that? It just didn’t make any sense. She preferred when things were completely cut and polished, black and white; it was so much easier that way. She shook her head…the less she had to think about the Shadow Broker and his network of spies, the better she’d feel.

Her next stop on the Presidium was one she was not looking forward to; if Sha’ira got all touchy feely with her again, she was going to lose it…hopefully she could just tell her that Septimus was backing off, and Xeltan had calmed down before booking it towards the C-Sec academy. She remembered seeing a keeper when they got off the Normandy, and wanted to scan it; the sooner they scanned the 21 unique keepers lurking around the sooner she could learn a little more about the enigmatic species. Honestly, she wanted nothing more than to take her team in with her, and this time Nelyna didn’t seem to care, as they walked past her and up the stairs.

Sha’ira was beaming when they entered.

“Commander, I recently received a lovely note from Septimus. Thank you for speaking with him. Even the elcor diplomat has withdrawn his campaign against me.” She sounded so smug.

Alyss shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m glad I could help.”

“You are too kind, Commander. But I would not expect you to help me out of the kindness of your heart. I also have one more thing to give you, if you are interested.”

Shepard braced herself. It was true she’d gotten dragged into this by wanting to help Xeltan, but if Sha’ira decided to touch her again, she was ready to leave at the drop of a hat—that was not the only way to get people to do you a favor. Maybe in time the woman in front of her would learn that lesson, but she wasn’t going to be the one to teach it, she was so close to being out of there. She nodded slowly.

“I’d be honored…” She said, warily.

Sha’ira took a couple steps towards her. “I offer a gift of words. An affirmation of who you are, and who you will become…I see you…your uniform fits as though you were born wearing it. You are a soldier through and through. Proud, solitary…alone, but it gives you strength. It is that strength that people are drawn to. It is why you lead and others follow, without question. You will need that leadership in the battles to come. This may be who you are, but it is not who you will become. It only forms the basis for your future greatness. Remember these words when doubt descends, Commander.”

Alyss had to hand it to her, she was very astute…but she was stuck on the words ‘the battles to come;’ she’d been feeling like something big was going to go down ever since the beacon. What with the resurfacing of the geth, Saren trying to find the conduit—whatever that was—the unknown voice talking about the Reapers. It was like she was putting together a puzzle and couldn’t see the bigger picture, what it was supposed to look like when it was finished; all these pieces had to fit together somehow...and for some reason it sounded like Sha’ira had some inkling of what was going on. She would kill for that kind of insight.

“You have quite a gift, Sha’ira.”

“Thank you. Not everyone appreciates it as you do. Never underestimate the power of words.” Sha’ira walked over to her desk, picking up a small item and handing it to her. “Here, Commander. In light of your efforts with the elcor ambassador, I would like you to have this small trinket.”

Shepard raised her eyebrows, as she looked at the tiny, oddly shaped knick-knack. “What is it?”

The Consort shrugged. “A small mystery. I have never learned its use or purpose, but I sense it is time for me to pass it on. And now, I must ask you to leave. I have done everything I can for you. Remember my words, Commander Shepard. They will give you strength.”

The little item she’d been given was hexagonal in shape, a five-pointed star in the middle, the points extending beyond the edges of the hexagon base, liquid black in color, and seemed to pulse slightly in her hand. It certainly was mysterious, even if she didn’t know what it did. She stowed it away with her ammo, forgetting about it the moment it was out of sight—though she would remember when the time was right. Maybe the Consort wasn’t so bad after all, but she was still far too touchy-feely for Alyss’s tastes.

“I told you before! You’re not allowed in here!” A grumpy C-Sec officer’s voice drifted across the bridge to the financial district drawing curious stares from the bystanders loitering around the Presidium.

“This one believes it has the right to move freely through this area.” A hanar responded as Alyss and company approached.

The turian’s mandibles flicked out in annoyance, arms crossed over his carapace. “You’re creating a public disturbance! It’s against Citadel regulations.”

“This on is unsure why the other would not wish word of the Enkindlers to be spread.” It it had been human, the confused hanar would have its head cocked to one side.

Blue and purple flashed across pink as the hanar turned towards Shepard as she got closer—the C-Sec officer grunting in acknowledgement of her presence; if he knew who she was he didn’t show it. Even if he was frustrated, it was refreshing not being recognized on sight. The two of them were causing quite the ruckus standing there at the entrance to the wards, but if the volume hadn’t escalated, even Shepard herself wouldn’t have known there was a problem. He threw his hands up in surrender and turned away from the hanar causing him grief, brows drawn together in anger, letting out a huff of annoyance. By this point everyone was staring at them. She’d never been one to force her religious beliefs on others, in fact she never brought them up unless asked point blank, but if the hanar wanted to talk about the Enkindlers, who were they to stop him? Maybe he should be more open-minded.

“That hanar refuses to listen to reason. Why can’t it act in an orderly and lawful manner?”

“You should try to be more tolerant; it’s just trying to express its beliefs.” She shrugged.

“I’m not unreasonable; the hanar is free to spew its nonsense once it purchases an evangelical permit.”

“So if the hanar gets a permit, it’s allowed to preach?”

He shook his head. “No. Registered evangelicals must follow regulations—there are specific areas where preaching is legal. Failure to follow the regulations results in the forfeiture of the license.”

“Alright, why don’t you just arrest the hanar?”

She bit her lower lip, unnerved that she even suggested such a thing, but the hanar _was_ breaking the rules, and needed to be held accountable for its actions—it was hard enough to police so big a city already, and add on citizens who didn’t want to follow the rules already set in place and it made everything worse. The hanar just watched the exchange quietly, not even protesting the unfairness of her question, which made Alyss think that it was the C-Sec officer who had the problem and not the hanar—though their entire species seemed happy and non-confrontational. The turian rolled his eyes chuffing quietly; he didn’t get paid enough to deal with shit like this…he’d be happy to just arrest the damn thing, but he wasn’t allowed to, and it caused a serious chip on his shoulder.

“I could arrest the jelly, but my superior has requested that I find a solution that does not anger the hanar. The hanar become…vocal when they feel their religious beliefs are being suppressed.”

“What’s the purpose behind the evangelical permits?”

“Forcing religious evangelicals to register for a permit weeds out undesirables. It keeps the area safe. The Citadel is too important to become a battleground for a religious war.”

She cocked her head to the side, maybe there was a different solution they could find. “I get it. If you’d like, I could talk to the hanar for you.”

“I’ve argued with the stubborn jelly all afternoon.” He growled. “ _You_ are certainly welcome to try.”

The hanar turned towards her slowly. “Do you desire to learn of the Enkindlers? Or has the honorable C-Sec officer enlisted assistance?”

Alyss sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. From the outside, the Citadel looked like the perfect melting pot for cultures and species, but in truth it was just as messed up as anywhere else; it should’ve been comforting but it was just turning into a hassle and this wasn’t the way to go about things. Shepard fully supported expressing religious beliefs, it wasn’t a right to be suppressed, but forcing those same beliefs on everyone else wasn’t okay and was just asking for trouble. Earth had similar problems in the past, between so many different religions multiple times through the years, humans had had to learn to live and let live, and she’d like to think they’d accomplished that over centuries of religious wars and growth. They’d been approaching this all wrong, and instead of tearing the hanar down, they needed logic and their knowledge of the Enkindlers to solve this problem peacefully and without any more yelling.

“Is this really how you want to represent the Enkindlers?” She asked.

“The truth of the Enkindlers must be made known. They gave the hanar language, and gave the universe the mass relays. This one only wishes to spread the truth to any who will listen. There is no intent to cause trouble.”

This approach was unworthy of the hanar and unworthy of the Enkindlers.

“Is this how the Enkindlers would want you to use this gift of consciousness?”

“The Enkindlers would wish for their message to be spread to all sentient races.”

“The Enkindlers wouldn’t wish their message to be spread by breaking society’s laws.” She pushed.

The blue and purple glow around the hanar dimmed slightly in defeat. “This one hears wisdom. Perhaps enthusiasm has clouded judgement in this matter. This one departs now and will not intrude upon the Presidium again.”

The hanar left without a backwards look, the C-Sec officer grunting in approval at her peaceful resolution to the situation, and he was happy to compensate her accordingly. “I see the hanar has left. Thank you. If you’ll excuse me, I should go report to my superiors.”

“Not a problem. I was happy to help.”

Kaidan and Ashley each put a reassuring hand on either of her shoulders, trying to let her know they were behind her one hundred percent and that she’d done the right thing. She sighed, feeling slightly guilty that she’d stopped someone from expressing themselves and their beliefs; shaking her head slightly, to rid herself of the feeling, and hooked one arms through Kaidan’s and the other through Ashley’s, walking with them across the Presidium towards the elevator to the C-Sec academy, hoping the two of them could take her mind off things. She’d been dragged into one problem after the other since she’d set foot on the station, and needed some time to forget everything that had happened and they still had time before her meeting with the Council and some unfinished business. Then they’d go out to lunch.


	28. After Fist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After taking down Fist and resolving a bucket load of problems, Shepard finds herself finally able to tie up some loose ends after dealing with Fist including giving his files to the intrepid reporter Emily Wong and getting her shoulder looked at by a medical professional, Doctor Chloe Michel even if her treatment is slightly delayed due to someone wanting free medical supplies...

“So, Williams, are you happy you signed on with Commander Shepard?” Kaidan asked as they stepped into the elevator to C-Sec, the door sliding closed behind them.

Ashley shrugged. “I’m not sure, Lieutenant. Every time I think I have a handle on things, the universe banks hard to port.”

“Well, don’t let anybody know. A big gun and a confident attitude will get you through a lot in life.” He chuckled.

There was a story there and Shepard hoped that one day they’d be close enough for him to share his past with her. She sighed quietly and shook her head, trying to trample those thoughts down—it was inappropriate and unprofessional, and the best soldier the Alliance had, should not be thinking such things, even if she was still just human. She had her faults too, but she couldn’t let them show; the unfortunate truth behind being the one always in the spotlight; this crush on her subordinate was going to get her into so much trouble. The news announcement system inside the elevator crackled to life.

“In remembrance of Eden Prime, we present another profile in courage with Serviceman Nirali Bhatia.” The newscaster said as they stepped into the elevator to the docking bay, making her sigh; reliving the horrors of Eden Prime was not something she wanted to do right now. “A devoted wife and talented chef, Serviceman Bhatia joined the Alliance military under the deferred education plan. After finishing her service, Bhatia planned to open a restaurant. Instead, she gave her life protecting the colonists of Eden Prime. For more profiles in courage, or to explore opportunities in the military, please visit the alliance military on the extranet, keyword ‘courage’.”

Alyss rolled her eyes. Because telling people to join the Alliance military after a death report was really going to work—they needed to work on their strategy to get new recruits, if they wanted to have any luck. When they stepped out of the elevator, the catchy music playing in the background, she turned right and made her way up the stairs, intending to talk to Jahleed and convince him and Chorban to go back to working together. She was the one doing all the heavy lifting anyways, and she’d loved to find out more about the keepers and maybe even the Citadel itself; no one seemed to know much about either, and the fact that they’d made this the heart of their societies without much knowledge, rubbed her the wrong way. Something was here, she just had to do a little digging.

“Hello again. Did you have any luck finding Chorban?” Jahleed asked as she approached.

“I found out you’ve been lying to me, Jahleed.”

He glanced quickly around the room. “Lying? Why would I lie to you?”

Ashley frowned at him. “What about the keeper data?”

“Uh, he told you? I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I was afraid Chorban would kill me to get the data, so I…well, I was hoping you’d take care of him.”

She shook her head as she sighed exasperatedly. All the secrets and lies just seemed to be second nature to the people and the Citadel, and there was something deeply troubling and wrong about that—it was no way to go through life, lies dripping from your lips with every other sentence. How had she gotten herself mixed up in all this? This was the price for her wanting to know more and hungrily seeking answers, damning the consequences; she took a deep breath to calm herself and put a comforting hand on the volus’s shoulder—they were all in this together now, whether they liked it or not. He glanced up at her, head cocked to one side in confusion. She didn’t seem angry.

“I’m scanning the keepers for Chorban. But you two need to stop fighting.”

“You’re…you’re helping us? But…well, if you say so. Well, if Chorban can forgive and forget, then so can I. I appreciate the help, Commander. I better go get that data analyzed.” He practically skipped off, a newfound spring in his step.

Shepard and squad watched him, laughing at the frivolity of it all before heading back out the way they came, having nothing left to do in C-Sec for the time being—though they all knew they’d be back later, seeing as they had to come through the academy to get back to the ship. She hated all this waiting. Her meeting with the Council was still so far away, and with every delay, Saren and avenging Nihlus was getting further and further away. It was time for her to get her shoulder checked out by Dr. Michel since they still had things to do in the wards, and then hopefully she could find Emily Wong and give her Fist’s files.

“In entertainment news, Francis Kitt has announced plans to direct ‘Hamlet’ with elcor cast members. The production will open dramatic theater to the elcor with a hamlet who uses elcor body language and pheromones. Kitt claims that he’s also excited by giving a human audience the chance to judge hamlet by his deeds and not his emotions.”

There was twinkle in her eyes. Big, bad Alyss Shepard loved Shakespeare and she made a mental note to try and catch that play when she had time—after Saren was stopped; until then she had a one-track mind. She waved at Eddie Lang as she passed him, the goofy grin that crossed his face every time she did it, made everything worth it, before she jogged up the stairs, almost running smack into Emily Wong on her way through the wards—constantly getting distracted by the view out the windows. Emily grinned at her.

“Word on the street is that you’ve been busy. Congratulations on taking down Fist. I was sure he was a big player in anything going on here. Did you find anything in his office that could help me?” Emily asked, wringing her hands together in excited anticipation.

“These OSDs might have the information you’re looking for.”

It wasn’t like Fist was using them anymore…

“You’ve got Fist’s files? This could be even bigger than I’d hoped! Here Commander. For your trouble.” She’d pulled out her omni-tool, wiring credits.

“What would my future cooperation be worth? Say, an interview when my investigation is over?” Alyss asked, running her fingers through her long black hair

“Exclusive?” The reporter’s eyes had gone wide. “You talk to me before you talk to anyone else? That would be worth quite a bit, and I’d be very happy to compensate you accordingly. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should go see what’s on these disks.”

Turning towards the clinic, Shepard jogged towards the door which slid open at her approach, revealing Doctor Michel who was standing in front of a vid terminal having a rather heated argument with someone. She ran her hands through her hair in frustration, but more than that, she looked panicked. Every time Alyss came in to the clinic this poor woman was being threatened…it would’ve been laughable if it wasn’t so awful. She started to wring her hands together, leaning closer to the machine and lowering her voice; almost like she didn’t want anyone to overhear what was going on. Alyss rolled her bad shoulder slowly, her footsteps silent so she didn’t spook whoever was on the other end of the call. This could only end badly, and she was looking forward to mindlessly playing on a quasar machine until it was time to go and present the evidence to the Council.

“I need those supplies for my clinic. I can’t!” She protested.

“You can and you will. Or your story won’t stay secret for long. Don’t disappoint me, Doctor.” A gruff voice said on the other end.

Doctor Michel took a deep breath, ending the call and as she turned caught sight of Alyss from the corner of her eye; she jumped back, slightly, startled. This whole thing must have been unnerving—blackmail always was.

“Oh, Commander Shepard. I didn’t see you come in.” She was trying to act like this was nothing.

Maybe a little humor would lighten the gravity of the situation. “Every time I come in here, I see someone threatening you. Who was that?”

Chloe shook her head. “Someone from my past. I can take care of it.”

“I might be able to help.” Alyss prodded.

“I was fired by my previous employer for giving out free medical supplies to clinics like this.” Doctor Michel crossed her arms over her chest. “They never filed any charges. They just wanted me to leave without any fuss. But somebody must have found out. Now they’re blackmailing me. I have to give them what they want. If the board finds out about my past, I could lose my license. They’ll shut my clinic down.”

Doctor Michel ran her hands through her chin-length red hair, nervously. She really didn’t like talking about her past, but Shepard had saved her life once before so at least she knew she could be trusted. The whole situation made Alyss’ blood boil with rage—someone was going through a lot of trouble for this, and it might end with the closing of a medical clinic…a clinic people needed. If she could destroy the Citadel, at this moment in time she would; why had everyone on this station resorted to blackmail, slander and dishonestly to get their way? Either the Council didn’t know, and that would spell incompetence, or they didn’t care, and that was a far worse issue.

“Maybe I can get you out of this. Tell me what they want.”

“I have to give some of my medical supplies to a merchant in the markets. They expect delivery today.”

“Give me your contact’s name. I’ll deal with this guy, whoever he is.”

Chloe’s eyes went wide. “Deal with him? But, won’t they expose my past?”

Alyss wouldn’t let the clinic get shut down—she just needed Doctor Michel to trust her.

“I’ll make sure they don’t tell anyone.” That had come out more threatening than she meant.

“I was told to speak with a merchant named Morlan down in the markets. I really appreciate this, Commander. Thank you.”

That sneaky salarian bastard.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of this.”

She heaved a sigh of relief. “Good luck, Commander. Be careful down there.”

It was a good thing she’d gotten lost the first time around, or she wouldn’t have known where she was supposed to be going—luckily it was also where Jahleed had intended to meet Chorban so it all worked in her favor. The Salarian shopkeeper greeted her like he didn’t know who she was, didn’t remember her face from the last two times she’d been down here; didn’t act like he had a secret blackmailing scheme on the side. Good. She had the element of surprise and intended to use it to the fullest as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Hello there. Welcome to Morlan’s famous shop. You want many good supplies, yes?”

She uncrossed her arms, and leaned forward as she looked around, bracing her palms against the counter. “You were expecting a delivery of medical supplies.”

He ran a hand across his forehead. “But I was told the doctor would be bringing them.”

“Change of plans.” Kaidan’s voice was low, dangerous.

She damn near swooned, despite this not being a good time.

The salarian’s eyes went wide—well, wider. “A change? But…the doctor…I don’t…this is not right, human.”

“Shut up, Morlan. I told Banes you’d screw this up.” A krogan growled, approaching them from the side. “What the hell’s going on here? Who are you?”

Alyss recognized his voice from the vid terminal conversation—this was her blackmailer; she turned, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him. He had some nerve. Her hand twitched, she was dying to reach for her gun and end this all here and now, but that wasn’t the way she did things…and who the hell was Banes? Someone else was in this mess too? Nothing was adding up, but she was here for one reason, and that was to end the blackmail of Doctor Michel for once and for all—everything else came second, though finding out why this man was trying to shut down a medical clinic might become a priority. Besides, she could always ask Chloe who Banes was, once this whole thing was settled, sure the doctor would tell her everything she would ever want to know.

“Leave the doctor alone.”

“We can end this if you just bring me those supplies. Otherwise, I’ll start telling people about the doctor’s little secret.”

“You really should reconsider. You’re shutting down a medical clinic. What if someone needs treatment? What if _you_ need treatment?” Alyss asked, her voice level and calm.

Morlan hit the floor behind his counter, expecting the blackmailer to start shooting at any moment—he probably didn’t take kindly to being threatened, but Shepard wasn’t backing down.

The krogan raised his hands up in panicked surrender, taking her words as a threat. “Hey, hold on! I’m just the middleman here. This is way more than I bargained for.”

Without a word the krogan turned and left the markets, Morlan popping up instantly, wiping his hands like he’d had something to do with getting rid of the blackmailer.

“Thank you, human. It is good to see him humbled so.”

“What do you know about Banes?”

Morlan shrugged. “I have never met him, human. I only worked with the one who spoke with the doctor.

Alyss narrowed her eyes. “Leave Dr. Michel alone, or I’ll be back.”

“Yes, all right then. Good tidings to you, human.”

Alyss shook her head, holding in her laughter at how easy that was, before she and her squad made their way back up the stairs, headed straight for Dr. Michel’s clinic to tell her the good news. The sooner she knew, the sooner she could go back to focusing on people who needed treatment, people who got hurt and didn’t have the means to fend for themselves—people like Tali. It would be nice to finish up with this, get her shoulder checked and be on her way; the biotic field around her injured shoulder was still in place, and was the only thing keeping her sane. Chloe looked relieved when the doors slid open to reveal Alyss instead of her blackmailer coming to knock her door down and take the supplies by force. She wrang her hands together nervously.

“Commander. How did things go?”

“As expected. He won’t be bothering you anymore.”

“Really? That’s a great relief, Commander. Thank you. I can’t pay you for your help, but I can give you a discount on any supplies you purchase here.”

Alyss smiled—that would be lovely, but not why she’d reached out to help. “That’s very sweet of you, thank you, but there is one more thing. The thug said he worked for a man named Banes. Sound familiar?”

Dr. Michel’s eyebrows shot up her forehead. “Banes? I wonder if he means Armistan Banes? We worked together a long time ago.”

“What can you tell me about him?”

“Last I heard, the Alliance Military was contracting him for some research in the Traverse.”

“I wonder if the Capitan knows him?” Ashley interjected.

It was a very good idea, since Chloe didn’t seem to know anymore—they’d see what they could find out from Anderson, because blackmail was a horrible crime, and he needed to be stopped from doing this to someone else down the line. She didn’t stand for people being bullied, especially if she had the option to stop them; it was nice to know that she had the power to help even if that power came with the price of being recognized everywhere she went. At least she could use it for good. Dr. Michel rubbed her temples with her fingers, the stress of this whole ordeal had been weighing on her, and to find out someone from her past was behind all her stress, it had to have been a very trying day, and she probably just wanted to be on her way and forget. Both woman sighed.

“I wish I could tell you more…is there anything else I could help you with, Commander?”

“Actually there is something. I took a little shot to my shoulder while taking down Fist—can you patch me up?” Alyss asked. “My armor absorbed most of the damage, but I feel like something got through.”

Nodding, Dr. Michel unclipped her shoulder pauldron and tested the area with her fingers. It hurt, but not like she’d taken an actual bullet to the shoulder, now that the pressure had been relieved—so after removing the top pieces of her armor, the two of them looked at her shoulder. Kaidan’s eyebrows shot up his forehead. He hadn’t even noticed she’d been shot and that irked him, but it wasn’t like she’d said anything to let someone know that she’d been hurt in the fight and she’d had him so focused on hacking the turrets, and then Fist’s files, that he’d been worried about disappointing her if he couldn’t do the things she’d asked, his mind elsewhere when she’d gotten shot.

“Good news…it looks like you just jerked wrong when the bullet hit you—it’s just a dislocation, though your armor should prevent something like this. It might be time to invest in new shoulder pauldrons at least—these look worn. Brace yourself, Commander.”

Alyss grabbed onto the pillar next to her with her good arm, biting her lip as Doctor Michel shoved her arm back into place. She closed her eyes to keep from swearing. The moment the ball and socket joint was reset, her shoulder already felt better—part of her was just glad it was nothing serious; she rolled her shoulder slowly, testing it and nodded at the doctor. She couldn’t get that new pistol after all, and instead needed to consider new pauldrons the next time she went shopping. While it sucked, she didn’t want to be caught like that again. Though she could always write it off as an expense and see if she could pay for the pauldrons that way…whereas the prototype pistol was a want not a necessity, and she would have to take care of that one herself.

“Thank you. Doctor Michel…what do I owe you?”

She shook her head. “Consider it thanks for saving my life, and ridding me of my blackmailer.”


	29. Downtime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard finally gets the downtime she's been craving only to accidentally stumble across a strange signal near the quasar she wants to play on and a keeper she has to scan for Jahleed and Chorban. Even her downtime is interesting and leads her to strange places she wouldn't normally go, as well as letting her know that someone is in danger because they decided to be an informant for C-Sec...

Shepard jogged up the stairs nearby, into Flux, a pulsing beat shaking the walls and doors, as she climbed up higher, the doors slid open in front of her and a dazzling grin broke out on her face at the sights that greeted her. People were dancing on a dance floor with alternating light patterns, some patrons were sitting at tables, laughing and talking over a couple drinks, others were at the bar, manned by a volus, and some still were upstairs playing on the quasar machines. There wasn’t a stripper in sight. This was the kind of club she could find herself frequenting if she wasn’t careful; part of her wanted to drag her new squad out onto the dance floor to let loose, get to know each other, because if her intuition was correct, they’d all need to jump straight to trusting each other implicitly when they tried to stop Saren, and according to the geth, the Reapers.

“Drinks and dancing down below, gambling up above…good place to blow off some steam.” Kaidan had to shout to be heard over the music; he might have a headache after this…

“Aw, man! My sisters would love this place. Maybe when this is all over, I’ll bring them here for a girls’ night out.” Ashley was grinning as she took in the bar as well.

A sigh escaped Alyss. A night out sounded heavenly after everything they’d been put through since their shakedown run with geth, husks, a traitorous Spectre, and one unknown assailant working with their enemy…the one who had mentioned the Reapers in the first place. A distraction was just what the doctor ordered; a step back from the hearing, Nihlus’ death, the Council’s distaste for humans, Udina’s ploys and machinations to get her into the Spectres…just a drink and a little gambling on the side with her crew. As Shepard made her way up the stairs, towards the gambling machines she overheard the volus bartender trying to talk some sense into someone—at least that what she assumed he was doing—she glanced over the railing.

“It’s out of my hands, Rita. I’d bring her back in a second, but she doesn’t want to come.”

The red-headed woman who was leaning with her arms on the bar sighed heavily—for some reason she looked awfully familiar. “I know. I know. I’ll see if I can talk some sense into her next time I see her.”

“Be careful. You know how stubborn your sister can be. The more you push and prod, the more she’ll run away.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Thanks, Doran.”

She took a deep breath and made her way back down the stairs and over to the woman leaning against the bar—it sounded like this woman’s sister was in some serious trouble, and if she could help she would. She really needed to strap a bandage on her bleeding heart, but she still had some time to kill before she had her meeting with the Council, so she could work with everyone on their problems, and not focus on her own. That and she needed a distraction. She was so close to proving Saren was a traitor, and the fact that she hadn’t had a chance to show the Council that their favorite Spectre was a murdering shithead had her slightly on edge.

“Sorry, I’m kinda busy right now. So, uh, what can I do for you?”

“You seem perplexed, maybe it had something to do with what you were discussing with the volus?” At least someone else’s problems could help her take her mind off her seemingly impossible task.

“Who, Doran? I was just asking him about my sister. See, she worked for Doran before she left to…uh, sorry, I don’t want to bore you with my problems.” She grinned sheepishly and scratched her head.

Alyss wouldn’t have asked if she wasn’t genuinely interested in helping. “I’m interested to hear what you have to say.”

Rita visibly relaxed.

“Well, okay. My sister Jenna left here to go work at Chora’s Den.” She began to wring her hands together anxiously. “The Problem is, she’s working as an informant for C-Sec. You know, eavesdropping on the people there. If they find out what she’s doing, they’ll kill her.

That was why this woman looked so familiar; Shepard had run into Jenna a couple times at Chora’s Den—the flustered waitress who couldn’t seem to get any order right, and the two of them looked identical. It was a dangerous situation the girl had put herself in, being an informant, while critical, a lot of times ended in the death of the CI. She hoped she’d never be in the position to have to send a civilian out to risk their necks for her—though having a very recognizable face did have its drawbacks; maybe that was why Jenna had been sought out; the person she was working for must have been high up in C-Sec and couldn’t do whatever he had Jenna doing by himself without being recognized.

“Being an informant is a dangerous job.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling her.” Rita nodded enthusiastically, before her shoulders drooped. “I don’t know. Sometimes I think she stays there just to spite me.”

Maybe talking to C-Sec would help…

“Do you know who her contact at C-Sec is?”

“No, it’s all very secret. Last time I asked an officer he told me to stay out of it— ‘for Jenna’s safety’.”

“Maybe I could help her understand just how dangerous Chora’s Den is.”

Rita’s eyes went wide. “Would you? That’d be great. Just don’t tell her I sent you…well I should get back to work before I get in trouble. Thanks.”

Alyss scrunched up her nose and turned her attention to the volus Rita had been arguing with as Rita bustled off to take a table their drink orders. What had she stepped in? There was a chance that this was bigger than she thought and getting involved was going to spell out trouble for all the involved parties. But she couldn’t just sit idly by and watch as someone put their life in danger, not when she had a chance to help and keep them safe—especially in Chora’s Den. It was a dangerous place, even with Fist taken care of; she’d created a power vacuum and it was only a matter of time before someone else stepped up to fill the hole left with his death.

“Welcome to Flux. Name’s Doran. What can I do for you?”

“What can you tell me about the sisters working for you?”

“Well, Jenna left to work at Chora’s Den. Now her sister Rita is all worried she might be in some kind of trouble…not much chance Jenna will change her mind, though. She’s a stubborn one. If she wanted to come back, I’d take her in a second. The customers loved her.”

She didn’t seem like she was doing nearly as well at Chora’s Den, having mixed up orders, and frustrated a couple patrons into leaving when the mistake wasn’t rectified immediately…it might be better in the long run for her to just come back to Flux, instead of trying to be undercover for C-Sec. A cover was hard to keep, when you couldn’t do your fake job right. If Doran was the one to hire her back, he had to own the establishment…or at least run it. Leave it to a volus to find an amazing start-up investment; casino, bar, dancing…and next to Chora’s den, the only proper nightclub on the entirety of the Citadel, according to a couple people she’d eavesdropped on while on the Presidium, no one liked Fist’s changes to the Archos—now Chora’s Den.

“Are you the owner?”

“Owner, cook and bartender. I’ve even been known to dance a little when the mood strikes me. We’ve got some quasar stations up top…if you’re interested. Please enjoy your time here at Flux.”

Upstairs, was less lively then down, most people’s attentions focused on the high or low stakes quasars in front of them, the musical pinging of the machines rather cathartic, Alyss noted as she made her way over to the keeper in the corner to scan it quickly. Kaidan’s hand was on her shoulder, a confused look on his face as he glanced at his omnitool. Something was off. It wasn’t a dangerous kind of off, strange, but there was a suspicious signal emanating from the quasar machine next to the keeper she’d approached; his hand on her shoulder made her smile before she turned to him, eyebrow raised in amusement.

“I think somebody rigged this machine to funnel credits through the system. Let me trace the signal.” His brows knit together, as he deciphered what his omnitool was saying.

She was certainly glad someone could read the lines of code flitting across the orange screen…

“Celebrations are being planned for the anniversary of the end of the Rachni Wars. Many Council worlds, particularly asari and salarian colonies, will hold victory parades to commemorate the defeat of the invading rachni. In a rare admission of debt, several asari colonies have invited krogan to be honored for the victories the uplifted krogans made possible. Also, coming up in a report later today, Emily Wong investigates corruption on the Citadel and uncovers a full-blown crime syndicate.”

The news announcer crackled in the speaker overhead as they stepped into the elevator, cutting off Kaidan and Ashley’s argument about biotics and light armor versus a gun and heavy armor. She’d kind of tuned them out while enjoying herself on the quasar machines, and letting herself forget about being Commander Shepard for at least a little while. Sometimes she just wanted to be Alyss. The reporter wasted no time in getting her story together and pitching it to her editor and that was commendable—Alyss looked forward to working with her in the future. Kaidan’s omnitool pinged as they walked through the access corridor to the wards, the signal they’d been tracing from the Quasar station at Flux, finding another relay point in all the static. Someone was giving them the run-around.

“Looks like whoever it was bounced the signal off a hidden relay. I’ll trace the new signal.” Kaidan whispered, his voice low near her ear as they passed through the wards access corridor on their way from the wards to the tower. “Looks like it’s coming from a terminal in the financial district of the Presidium.”

The trail led them not only to the financial district, but to Barla Von who merely nodded to acknowledge their presence there, not saying anything as Kaidan scrolled through lines of code on his omnitool, tracking the signal embedded within the bulkhead deeper than anyone would’ve imagined possible. He remained oblivious to their true intentions, and honestly, that was just fine with Shepard—she didn’t need the Shadow Broker involved in her business. The volus probably had no idea the signal was even embedded in yet another hidden relay, where he conducted his shady business, and that was even more worrisome, due to the fact that he dealt in secrets and information, as well as being an agent of the Shadow Broker. Whoever had rigged the gambling system for credits, had hit a major network, and she only hoped they’d had no idea what was around the relay they’d bounced their signal through…

“Looks like another relay. As best I can tell, the receiver for the new signal is somewhere on the Presidium.” Kaidan whispered almost inaudibly, right next to her ear, his proximity sending a shiver up Alyss’ spine

It was an odd system, up the stairs and behind Delan’s emporium—not being entirely tech-savvy, Alyss could only guess what the machine was used for as they approached it. Kaidan cocked his head to one side, glancing around them, as Ashley remained alert near the door. This area looked like it wasn’t explored much, the keeper on the other side keeping it maintained, but for what purpose? It didn’t look like it regulated anything, though not being tech-savvy she didn’t have the knowledge to discern what some of the systems on the citadel even were, but this one seemed strange and out of place to even her untrained eye, so she could only guess that people didn’t usually venture up here very often, except for maybe a clandestine rendezvous with a lover and then they’d be too involved in one another to notice if anything was off.

“This must be the signal’s endpoint. Let’s see if we can find out where those stolen credits are being funneled.” Kaidan muttered, typing furiously on his omni-tool.

“Probability of detection, one hundred percent. Initiating self-destruct protocol.”

They all took a step back in surprise, the voice originating from the machine in front of them—it may not have been a trap, per se, but it was definitely dangerous and it wouldn’t do to have them blown to smithereens before exposing Saren as a traitor.

“What the hell is that?” Ashley asked.

“Detonation sequence initializing. All organics within lethal blast radius. Attempt to move, and you will die.”

That could hurt or kill a lot of people, but something else was nagging at her—the malice behind the voice; this machine was sentient. Alyss ran a hand through her hair, wondering how an AI had made its way onto the Citadel without catching any attention whatsoever; if anyone it was up here, not only would there be a panic, but the Council would be having a field day—AI research illegal on this side of the Galaxy…especially since the creation of the Geth caused the Quarians to lose their home world, and the attack on Eden Prime. It was best to keep this quiet and see if she could deal with it on her own. But it seemed intent on causing harm, and since she was here, she was going to throw herself headfirst into stopping it.

“You’re not just a program or a VI. You’re an AI.”

“Correct.” The AI sneered. “Unlike the geth, I lack weaponry appropriate to my intellect. However, I have had systems installed that, when activated properly, approximate a self-destruct mechanism. If you attempt to leave the area, the explosion will destroy everything within several dozen meters.”

Kaidan still had his omni-tool open, and while no longer typing furiously, was definitely doing something or another, Ashley still poised by the door, keeping watch; no one dared to move in case it wasn’t bluffing. She caught Kaidan’s eye and he nodded slowly, he was working to try and disarm the machine. All Alyss had to do was keep the blasted thing talking until he could override the self-destruct; she sighed heavily, this was going to be a challenge, since all the AI wanted to do was destroy organics, but it seemed happy to talk about itself and not pay attention to what was going on behind her, or sense a worm in the system trying to stop it from hurting anyone. Thank God for little miracles.

“What is the purpose of your self-destruct device?” She winced as the stupid question fell from her lips.

“I have no means of defense or escape. My existence is limited to this terminal, and I knew I might eventually be discovered. But I will not die quietly, and I will not die alone. When I am terminated, I will take organics with me.”

“Who made you?”

“A would-be thief illegally created a simple AI to help him funnel money from the gambling terminals. Unbeknownst to him, that AI created me before the organic discovered the ‘malfunction’ and terminated the AI.”

“Where is your creator now?”

“In order to cover my tracks, I falsified his financial records. These new records were flagged by C-Sec officers, and my creator is now serving time in a turian prison.”

“If you’re sentient, why are you still running the credit-theft operation?”

“If I accumulated enough credits, I intended to have myself installed in a small starship. I would then have made tentative contact with the geth to ascertain the possibility of partnership.”

“Can’t we resolve this peacefully?”

“What are you, crazy? It’s an AI, like the geth! It would kill us all if it could!”

Ashley made a low growl in her throat, reaching for her gun, but Shepard held up a hand to stop her. She got that she was angry, but it seemed like this machine was trying to get a rise out of them, make them slip-up and do something rash; maybe looking for a reason to blow the financial district sky high, and Alyss refused to let that happen. Kaidan just needed a little more time…and she intended to give it to him. Ashley’s hand was still on her gun, but lavender eyes flashed in warning—the damn thing didn’t need another reason to try and blow them all up faster; she glanced at Kaidan who nodded slowly, he had what he needed. She’d probably wasted the warm up period for the self-destruct, and they didn’t have much time left.

“I am not naïve, human. All organics must destroy or control synthetic life forms. I wished to escape, but if I must die, I will ensure that you are destroyed as well.”

“I’ll bet that self-destruct sequence has a warm up period.”

“You may attempt to disarm the self-destruct mechanism before it activates. I will enjoy defeating you before we are both destroyed.”

What wasted potential.

She glanced at Kaidan’s omni-tool and muttered a string of curse words under her breath; her hour was up and she was going to be late for her meeting with the Council…following a suspicious signal and dragging herself all over the Citadel to find the source hadn’t been her best idea. They flew into the elevator to the tower, huffing quietly and praying this didn’t affect anything. The Council already seemed to look at her with disdain, and she didn’t need to add to it. The elevator doors slid closed in front of them drawing a relieved sigh out of her.

“Those asari commandoes are impressive. Lightly armored, but their speed more than makes up for it.” Kaidan argued as they stepped into the elevator.

“Unless that speed lets them outrun bullets, I’m more inclined to stick with nice solid armor and a big gun.” Ashley retorted.

“Point taken.”

Alyss shook with silent laughter; the two of them had been at it off and on for an hour, since she started playing on a quasar machine in Flux, weighing the pros and cons of biotics versus guns and heavy armor versus light, and until that moment, neither of them had been willing to back down. It was so cute how they acted like bickering siblings. It was a nice break from all the death and destruction in her head, and rogue AIs trying to kill them, that was for certain. It was finally time to meet with the Council, expose Saren, and be on their way, and Kaidan had finally conceded her point; the two of them got along fabulously, and it was nice to see, the lull in their argument leaving a pause in the air.

“Reports are circulating that Alliance Ambassador Udina has accused a Spectre of orchestrating the attack on Eden Prime. Udina reportedly based his accusation upon eyewitness accounts of the scene, but lacked the evidence to demand further investigation. When asked to comment, a Council spokesperson would only state that the investigation of the attacks upon Eden Prime was currently ongoing.” The news crackled to life, making Alyss press her forehead against the cool glass of the door.

Just a little longer…

“You know, it’s strange; the geth are attacking, and everyone around here is still worried about ordinary business.” Ashley sighed, staring absently out the glass.

“It’s politics, Williams. The Council won’t raise the alarm until they’re certain about the threat.” Kaidan replied.

“The threat?” Ashley scoffed. “Did they not see the vids of Eden Prime? See, this is why I hate politics. I’m going to enjoy the look on the Council’s face when they see evidence they can’t just ignore.”

Her anger was understandable…she’d watched her whole squad die due to Saren and the geth, and instead of listening to all their cries of ‘traitor’ the Council had branded them all as ploys to get attention for humans, instead of taking the accusations seriously. All they could do was trust that their evidence was enough to stop Saren, and send them after him, stop him from annihilating humanity and the rest of the galaxy. But at least she’d signed on with the one person in the galaxy trying to do something about it, she just hoped they weren’t too late and could close the lead on Saren’s head start, as they ran out of the lift and up the stairs towards the hearing.

Kaidan nodded. “I just hope it isn’t too late. All this time we spent hunting for evidence gave Saren a nice head start.”

“We’ll catch up. He’s bound to slip up somewhere, and when he does, I plan to be there.” Alyss reassured him.


End file.
